Next Door
by bloodrose26
Summary: 19-year-old Risa and her family has just moved into a wonderful new house, and wouldn't you know it, they live next to a gorgeous new neighbor. But as the two continue to interact with one another, Risa learns that there is something seriously wrong with her new neighbor. What is it that he is trying to hide? Can Risa cut off contact with him? OCxSess Rated T for now for Language.
1. Creeper

Next Door

Chapter 1: Creeper

***I don't own any of the Inuyasha characters. I only own the Kuro family***

* * *

'_Hey, look! It's him!'_

'_Isn't he gorgeous?'_

'_Absolutely… But, isn't that the demon everyone says to avoid?'_

'_*Gasp* You're right… Such a shame huh?'_

'_Don't make eye contact! Quick, turn this corner here!'_

'_Whew… that was a close one. Hey… there's a moving van. You don't think…'_

…

Pulling up behind the massive U-haul truck, the members of the Kuro family each exit the car and walks up the driveway to their new suburban home. Mr. and Mrs. Kuro are what one would call the epitome of a happily married couple; financially secure, deeply in love, and have two kids (both daughters) with upstanding reputations and are both doing great in their studies. The youngest daughter of 14, Mikita or Miki for short, is very involved in all things sports; basketball, softball, volleyball, you name it she's played it. She's even been known for holding her own playing football with the boys, though it was always to her parents' dismay.

Our story centers on their oldest daughter of 19, Risa. She is now finishing up her first year of college and is working on enrollment for the fall semester of next year. A total bookworm, the glasses-wearing, long-haired, brunette is normally found lingering between the bookshelves of the library in search of her next good read or writing poems for the fun of it.

"Oi…" Miki called from the small porch by the front door, "Isn't this place amazing? And it's not too far from our old town so we still get to see our friends!"

Risa merely smiled at her overjoyed sister as she carried her things inside the two-story home. With Miki happily following behind, both girls stopped and stared in awe at the beautiful home they were now going to be living in. Crisp, white walls waiting to be painted, a lovely chandelier hanging high above their heads in the foyer, and they continued walking to see a fairly large kitchen area that was open on all sides so one could see directly into the living room; which was equally as big, if not, larger. Wanting to see even more of their new home, the girls quickly ran upstairs to find a long yet spacious hallway stretching across the top floor. Each door was an entrance way into a room that they confused for master bedrooms on a few occasions, but the two double doors located at the very end of the hallway would prove otherwise. The older sister opened one door while the younger followed with the other and each shared hisses of jealousy at how large the room was.

"Man… I actually envy mom and dad right now… This room is great!" Miki shouted.

A small giggle from Risa would cause the young sibling to laugh as well before they both went to claim a room for their own. Miki was first to call the room with the 'great view', leaving Risa the room with the window staring right into the yard of their neighbor's home. But Risa figured that it wouldn't be too big of a deal considering that her nose was always buried in the pages of her books, so maybe it was the better choice for Miki to take the other room. As she set her box of things on the carpeted floor next to the window, Risa looked up slightly to see that she had a 'great view' of her own; her new neighbor. With emerald eyes wide with fascination, Risa didn't even notice her short-haired sister walk in the room behind her.

"Whatcha lookin' at sis'?" Miki said, causing Risa to jump a few feet in the air.

"Gah! Don't scare me like that!" She shouted while fixing her glasses, "Anyways, I'm _lookin'_ at our new neighbor. He's totally hot!"

Miki raised an eyebrow as she observed the sight before her. All the girl could see was a glimpse of long, silver hair and the man's bare back. Apparently he was busy swimming. Continuing to peer through the window, the man outside finally turned around fully so they could get a better look at him. And a better look they got.

With looks that could only be seen in the movies, his face was accented with a few stripes settled on his high cheek bones, a crescent moon was placed in the middle of his forehead (though slightly hidden behind his bangs), and best of all… those piercing golden eyes. If that wasn't enough for the suddenly giddy and giggling girls, his body was well-toned and showed great results of extensive exercise. It was as if they were in a dream; living in a lovely house neighboring an equally as lovely man.

Risa suddenly chuckled lightly as she turned to her sister. "Ya know… I'm seriously jealous of you."

"Why sis'?"

"Because you'll be living in this house longer than I'll be… Meaning you'll have first dibs on this room…"

"Can I have first dibs now?"

Risa looked to her sister and smiled, "No. You have the room with the 'great view'… Remember?"

With a defeated sigh, Miki left the room to go downstairs to help bring more boxes inside. Meanwhile, the older sister stayed by the window admiring the sight with intent eyes. Until he looked up to do a salute-style wave…

'_Oh man…'_

…

Eyes… He could feel them…

First there were two pairs… and now he could feel only one…

Wanting to see who it was that was staring so intently on his form; Sesshoumaru looked up in the direction of the gaze to see a girl. Though his face stayed stoic and void of emotion, he was in fact amused that this girl was observing for so long. He suddenly gave her a slight smirk before noticing her panic and duck behind the wall and ultimately out of his vision. Though he couldn't really say that this girl was heart-stopping beauty, Sesshoumaru felt that she was just cute enough for his standards… Maybe fun enough to play with too…

…

Risa pressed her back against the wall, her hand rested on her rising and falling chest. She didn't really bank on him actually looking up, but he did! He did! Regulating her breathing, Risa poked her head back around the wall to look out the window, but to her surprise, he was gone. Thankful that she might have spared herself from further embarrassment, Risa decided to go downstairs and help with the boxes as well. Suddenly she saw Miki come flying through the foyer, frantically moving her head as if she was searching for something. She then pointed at Risa and ran to grab a wrist.

"Ah-ha! I found you! Quick come with me! You have _got _to see who's helping dad with the furniture! Come, come!"

Risa didn't have much time to ask about this said 'who', but when they got outside, her heart nearly skipped a beat when she saw the man she had been spying on just a few minutes ago. How did he get dressed so fast? Their mother stood by the back of the U-haul watching her husband and the man bring out the sofa.

"There you are Risa. This man helping your father here is our new neighbor Sesshoumaru. He seems real friendly don't you two think?"

Risa gave a nervous laugh as she meet gazes with the golden-eyed man once again. That same smirk he gave her returned to his face followed up with a quick wink, making the older Kuro sister feel slightly uncomfortable.

'_So his name is… Sesshoumaru huh?'_

Her mother spoke again and with the happiest of smiles, Mrs. Kuro looked to both of her daughters, "I've also invited him to come to dinner with us tonight! Won't that be exciting you two?"

While Miki did a mental cheer, Risa's eyes widened and she slightly tensed. Not only will she have to speak with the man she spied on… but she's going to have to eat with him too? There could be only one word to describe the way she felt on the inside.

'_Creeper…'_

* * *

**_So I have been editing this story, because I've been finding some plot holes in the story and some parts weren't flowing as well as I wanted them to. So I hope you all like the rewrite! Thank you reading! :)_**


	2. Dinner and a Number

**Hello again readers! Welcome to the second chapter to my eighth story! (or is it my seventh...) *shrugs* Huh, oh well... Anyways, this chapter is basically slow because I wanted to use this to give a little bit of information about Sesshoumaru through the family dinner, rather than him just pop out of no where trying to get with Risa. I guess what I'm trying to say is... I was trying to create a 'somewhat' realistic situation in which the family (mainly the parents) have this sense of trust rather than try to figure out who the creep is trying to get with their daughter. I hope you like this chapter and Thank you for reading! Enjoy and review if you feel so inclined! :D**

Next Door

Chapter 2: Dinner and a Number

* * *

Risa sat in her chair trying to keep from fidgeting so she wouldn't catch unwanted attention, but the task would be easier said than done. He had been looking at her a lot in the past hour and it was a bit unsettling to say the least. Why did he have to sit across from her? Constantly, Risa had been 'fixing' her glasses; wiping the lens, pushing the frames back in place then checking them for dirt once again. Miki noticed this and would occasionally nudge her sister in the side.

Mrs. Kuro was the first to break the ice at the table, "So tell us more about yourself Mr…"

"Hiro." Sesshoumaru answered simply.

The father extended his hand for Sesshoumaru to shake as he formally introduced the family.

"Well as you already know, we're the Kuros. This is my wife Mae, I'm Shin and these two are our pride and joy; Miki and Risa."

Miki was quick to follow her father's example and shake their neighbor's hand, but Risa gave only a slight smile and a glance before snapping her eyes back to the menu. The laminated piece of folded paper proved to be quite the comfort boon for shy girl. However, pretending to be busy looking over the food choices could only last for so long.

The waitress came by to take everyone's order before taking away each menu, leaving the poor Risa under the mercy of Sesshoumaru's burning gaze. She kept her head down, focusing on the table the best she could and she was even desperate enough to ask for the coloring menu for little kids.

Sesshoumaru raised a brow as he gave an intuitive look. He knew she was avoiding eye contact with him purposely. Was she really that embarrassed about what happened earlier? A rosy red tint was creeping up to appear on her face prompting the taiyoukai to nearly smile.

'_Cute…'_

"So Mr. Hiro," Mr. Kuro began.

"Please, call me Sesshoumaru."

"Haha, right. So… Sesshoumaru, what do you do for a living? You seem to be around my daughter Risa's age, I assume you're still in college?"

Sesshoumaru nodded. "That I am, and in fact I think I've seen the Miss Risa around campus once or twice before…"

This caught the brunette's attention. Risa snapped her eyes up to look into his before blushing even more and giving him another nervous smile. In all this time of her attending the Hartman University, she had _never_ seen Sesshoumaru walking the halls before; but then again, Risa didn't make it her life mission to know everyone that stepped through the doors of the college. Always in her studies… Always…

"What are you studying?" The mother Kuro asked, "My little Risa is studying to be a teacher. She's such a kind-hearted soul…"

'_Geez mom… you make it sound like you're playing matchmaker or something.'_ A slightly miffed Risa thought to herself.

"Well at the moment, I'm caught between going into business and becoming a lawyer. I might just combine the two and start my own law firm." Sesshoumaru finally replied.

Both parents couldn't contain their smiles. They were almost too excited about hearing his answers, and the two sisters nearly rolled their eyes as they heard Shin and Mae voice their approval of the silver-haired man.

Risa sighed silently, resting her head in her palm while waiting for their meals to arrive.

All she wanted to do was eat and leave…

'_This is the most awkward dining experience of my life…'_

…

The dinner finished at approximately 9: 30, and it was now time for everyone to retire to their respective homes. Shin gladly paid for Sesshoumaru's meal along with the rest of the family's food and the two men exchanged friendly words of 'Thank you' and 'No problem'.

Risa trailed behind the group as they walked to their cars prompting Sesshoumaru to look back at her curiously. He joined her, spiking up the nerves in the quiet girl. She felt his hand move to her back to pat her lightly and before she could ask him to remove it, he passed her a small piece of paper then turned to go to his car without saying a word. Opening the tiny scrap of stationary, Risa's fingers pulled apart the neat folds to reveal a number…

His number…

Confusion taking over her features, she almost wanted to run to him to return his 'gift' but alas, Sesshoumaru was gone from sight. Enthralled with the man's speed, Risa was brought back down to Earth when she ran smack-dab into the side of the car causing a loud 'Omph!' to leave the young girl, and she went tumbling down to the ground. The concerned parents went to help up Risa while Miki, staying true to her role as the younger sibling, broke out in an uproarious laughter at the sight of her sister go crashing to the floor. The young Kuro nearly thought she was watching something straight out of a comedy show, because it was so hilarious to her. Of course their mother and father quickly reprimanded her for it, but Miki shrugged and hopped in the back settling next to Risa who seemed unfazed by what happened. She noticed the small paper in her older sister's fingers as well as the rosy shade on her cheeks.

Miki leaned over to whisper just loud enough for Risa to hear, "Ooo… someone's got a number. You gonna call him?"

"I… I don't really know…" Risa whispered back.

The older Kuro sister never told Miki that Sesshoumaru caught her staring, but then again maybe that's why Risa thought the whole situation was rather strange. Under normal circumstances, a guy would _never_ dream of giving away his number to a girl that could potentially be his stalker and the fact that Risa even had a number was a big shock to her. She wasn't like women one would see in the magazines. She was just a plain, ordinary, girl who took joy in solitary reading; so why her?

'_Maybe it's different for demons?'_ She thought.

…

He walked into his home making a beeline for his bedroom so he could wait for Risa's phone call in relaxation. Changing into his sleep clothes, Sesshoumaru placed his cell on the nightstand before lying down on his mattress; silver locks fanning out over the pillow. Minutes passed and still no call. Those minutes then turned into a couple hours and by that time, Sesshoumaru called it quits for the night. Turning off his lamp, his sleepy golden gaze turned into an almost furious expression as he glared at his phone. What was he going to do? Glower until Risa felt his unspoken want for her to call him?

It seems he needed a to take a different approach…


	3. Lunch Date Secrets

Next Door

Chapter 3: Lunch Date Secrets

Waking up the next morning, Risa rolled over and off her mattress waking her up instantly upon hitting the ground. Thankfully the whole bed wasn't put together yet or she would have had a serious headache to deal with. She looked at her cell phone to check the time. The bright light of the screen hit her eyes causing her to yelp in a slight bit of pain, but thankfully it was only for a moment. The time now was 7:10 and thank goodness it was a weekend day. Sunday to be specific, but that also meant spending the whole day helping her parents move the furniture in the house.

As Risa moved to her box to grab a brush for her hair, she noticed the unfolded piece of paper from the night before with Sesshoumaru's number written on it. That's right, she never did call him like he asked, but dammit why would he even want her to? She suddenly felt a little bad for leaving the man hanging like that so she decided to pick up the phone and make the call anyways.

…

Sesshoumaru lied on his bed staring at the ceiling. It was the first thing he saw when opened his eyes, though deep down he wanted the face of a satisfied Risa to be the first and last thing he saw after waking up and before sleeping. A small smirk grew across his face; her parents seemed to be the type of people that were oblivious to most things in this devious world. Of course the demon didn't mind; it just meant that this process would be a whole lot easier to get through.

During his musings, his cell phone rang and he reached over to pick it up. Without checking the caller I.D., Sesshoumaru only banked on the call being somewhat important to him. Until…

"H-Hello? Sesshoumaru?"

That voice. He recognized that lovely mousey tone and his smirk turned into grin.

"Hello Ms. Kuro…" He replied smoothly. "If I recall someone never got in touch with me last night…"

On the other side, Risa laughed nervously and pushed her glasses against her face before continuing.

"Yeah… I'm sorry about that. It's just that, I was very tired by the end of dinner and I literally passed out on my mattress when we came home." She lied.

"Hm… That's quite the case of drowsiness. Well you do know that a certain someone needs to make it to me right?"

"M-make it up to you?" Risa questioned. Her eyes darted around her room wondering what exactly he had in mind.

"My dear Risa," He whispered into the phone, "Meet me for lunch please…"

She was unable to hide the blatant sigh that escaped her, earning a low chuckle from the man on the other line. Risa gasped and covered her mouth, unsure if she was to apologize or let it go. Sesshoumaru finished off the conversation by giving the light-brown haired girl the name of the restaurant and what time he was to expect her, then hung up without so much as a 'goodbye'.

"Hmph! He may be gorgeous, but manners must not have been a priority…" She told herself quietly.

Spying from behind the door frame, the ever rambunctious Miki jumped through the door surprising the already frazzled older sister. Risa turned around quickly and glared hard at her younger sibling.

"What the heck Miki! Ever heard of knocking?"

Miki sassily shoved her fists against her hips, raising one eyebrow in a questioning manner, "You've known me since my birth, when have I ever learned to knock before entering?"

With a frustrated grumble, Risa chose to ignore a petty argument about the importance of manners and good etiquette with Miki. Instead, the brunette began to look through box after box for an appropriate outfit to wear to her…

"Is it a date?" Miki cooed from behind Risa.

A thin brow twitched in irritation; Risa was becoming quite annoyed with her beloved sister, and was almost tempted to kick her out of the room.

"Y-Yes…" Risa replied.

"Oh… where's he taking you?"

"Just out for a simple lunch. It's his idea of me making it up to him."

Miki scrunched her face in confusion as she scratched the top of her head, "Making it up to him? For what?"

"Because I never called last night…"

The younger sister laughed uproariously before taking a seat next to Risa. She playfully bumped her shoulder against the older girl before pointing to a necklace laced with purple gems. Risa picked up the object and glance over to Miki, who was furiously nodding her head in the affirmative.

"Yes wear that one! I gave that to you for your birthday, remember! I saved so much money for that and you haven't worn it once!" Miki cried.

"I didn't have any clothes to match this at the time. But… now I do, so quit your whining ok?"

Miki made a small face before smiling to Risa and standing to her feet. As she made her way toward the door, Miki looked back at her sister one last time, sighing with content. She was truly happy for her and wished Risa all the best.

…

Pulling into the parking lot of the restaurant, Risa found a place to leave her car and then got out to meet up with Sesshoumaru, who happened to be sitting at an outside table by the building's window. At first, she stayed motionless by her car, her shy nature getting the best of her. With a deep sigh, she worked up enough nerve to begin making her way over to him, her steps in normal time but feeling as if she was walking in slow motion. Her knuckles were a ghostly white as her hand gripped harder and harder on the strap of her purse.

'_Why am I so nervous? It's just my first… date…'_

As she tried to calm herself mentally, Risa hadn't noticed that Sesshoumaru was suddenly standing before her and she accidentally bumped into the broadness of his chest. She jerked her head upward to apologize but was cut off by a wave of his hand. A bright pink blush crept across her cheeks as she met his gaze; there was just something about this man that screamed dominance, discipline, strength. Most men in town didn't possess such qualities; they just thought they did.

He helped Risa to her chair before settling in his own and mentally smirked as he watched the girl nervously fiddle with her menu; just like she did at dinner last night. Sesshoumaru saw that Risa was slowly raising her menu up to block herself from his view and he simply reached over to push on the top of the laminated piece of paper, titling it away from her shocked face.

"I won't bite you…" He told her simply.

Risa held onto her menu a little tighter before finally conceding to his implied wish to relax and look him in the face. Spotting his slight grin, she figured he approved of her attempt to warm up to him and she smiled back, though it was only for a second.

Sesshoumaru sat back in his chair and sipped from his water that the waitress had brought to him before deciding to place his hand on Risa's stray left hand that was sitting on the tabletop. Her green eyes snapped up to meet his amber irises and he himself froze in position. Those innocent, bright eyes; they called to him, as if asking to be shown a world filled with excitement; danger even. A red color tinting her cheeks made him lick his lips subconsciously. It seems he's made the right decision. Moving to look under the table, his phone with a message reading, 'Come get us in an hour.' Sat ready on the screen. Sesshoumaru's thumb pressed on the 'send' button, and he couldn't help but slightly grin.

This woman would be in for a big surprise.

**Thanks for reading guys! Sorry I've been MIA, but I was just brainstorming some plot ideas for this story. I hope you all liked it and keep on the lookout for my next installment!**


	4. Skinz

Next Door

Chapter 4

* * *

Risa leaned back in her chair after she finished her meal, a content smile on her face. She looked at her date from across the table and tilted her head in questioning manner. He has been shifting his head back and forth constantly for the past five minutes now; was he looking for something? As Risa went to ask him what was possibly troubling him, a waitress had quickly come to their table and handed Sesshoumaru the check.

"Here you are sir…" The employee said quietly, "A limousine is also awaiting you on the other side of the building…"

Sesshoumaru responded with a short and low 'Hn' as he pulled out his wallet, gave the woman cash, and then waved her off. His gold eyes shifted to lock his gaze on Risa's face. Her expression was full of bewilderment and wonder; just as he expected, but he would keep the second part of this day to himself until the moment was right. Standing up to help Risa out of her chair, a small smirk became apparent on his features.

"You look so surprised. Don't tell me you've never rode in a limousine before." He asked teasingly.

Risa blushed hard as she cleared her throat and nervously pushed her glasses back into place, "I-I have actually, but may I ask where you're taking me? You only said lunch."

A long overpowering arm slinked its way across the brunette's shoulders, pulling her close with little effort. Sesshoumaru then leaned down to whisper in her ear.

"Can this man not show his lady a good time?"

She nodded reluctantly. The shy woman was hoping to be gone for maybe an hour or so and return back home to read on her mattress before finishing the day off with some studying. But Sesshoumaru seemed insistent on taking her out, so Risa would remain silent and wish for the best. The two strolled to the front of the café each looking in opposite directions wondering where the limo was located. Finally, Sesshoumaru would spot his ride and pull on Risa's hand for her to follow. Like a gentleman, he opened the back door allowing Risa first entrance before going in after her.

Inside the limo, the awe-stricken woman observed her new, lavish surroundings with curious, wide eyes. Slick, black, leather seats, overhead lights equipped with a dimmer-switch, a sun roof, and a mini-bar set by window dividing the front portion of the vehicle and the back. Risa felt like a movie star on her way to a grand premiere. Sesshoumaru climbing in the back seat and settling next to the brunette pulled her back to Earth. The silver haired man looked down at Risa, sending a sly smirk her way before watching the chauffer roll the divider window down.

"Lovely new date Sir." He stated, "Where to?"

Sesshoumaru returned his gaze to Risa, though he was more checking her out, "Skinz, please." He said smoothly.

As the window began to close, Risa craned her neck to focus on the man who was scooting closer to her with his golden eyes trained on her form. Quickly, Sesshoumaru wrapped his arms around the now red-faced Risa, and pulled her into his lap before letting his fingers run through her coifed and curly hair. Risa tensed while in his arms. He was so close to her. What was she to do in such a situation?

"Risa, have you ever wondered what it would like to live a life that's different from your own?" He asked her quietly. A hand slithered up her spine and soon he had his talon-clad fingers wrapped carefully around her neck. His other hand, gripping her hip, made sure he would keep a firm hold on the frazzled brunette as he pulled her face to his; the tips of their noses barely touching.

"Think about it. A life full of surprise, pleasure and risk…" He purred out his last point before dipping his head to nuzzle her neck. The scent of purity and a cleanse spirit pleased him greatly, and the sensation of a watering mouth was fast approaching. He wanted a taste of this angelic nymph, but he would have to persuade woman; there just wasn't any fun on taking something that fights you even after defeat. It was just too exhausting. Risa's shocked gasp from his affectionate action caused him to grin. As expected however, he was met with a hand at his chest attempting to push him away.

"I like my life the way it is thank you." He heard her say.

Risa was in a slight panic. Here she was in the embrace of an imposing demon that seemed to want nothing but one thing. She's read so much about the various goals of men; sex being on the top of their priority list.

'_Seems demons are no different.'_ She thought.

A second hand met Sesshoumaru's chest but instead of ignoring the resisting actions, he simply cradled one of her trembling hands and brought it to his lips, kissing it tenderly before shooting his intent gaze back at Risa. Suddenly, he released her, letting the woman scramble away from his person and keep to herself for the rest of the ride. The demon could smell nothing but embarrassment and fear lingering through the air.

As the limo slowed to a stop, Sesshoumaru waited for the driver to make his way to Risa's side of the door, and he offered a hand of assistance for her to take. However, no sooner did both of her feet find the solid ground below; Risa's clacking heels would carry her in the opposite direction of limo and her destination. Sesshoumaru's amber irises were accompanied by streaks of pink invading the whites of his eyes as he watched his newest prey try to walk away from him. He was instantly behind the woman in only a few strides, and before Risa could react to his original position, the demon zipped to the front causing her to bump into his solid chest.

She stumbled backwards but he simply trapped her in another bear hug then swung his arm under her knees so Sesshoumaru was carrying Risa bridal style. The woman wiggled and squirmed, but his hold was far greater than her own strength, eventually causing her to give up hope on escaping him. Lips met her forehead as he continued to walk toward the building with a giant sign flashing the name of a hotel above. Confused, Risa pointed to the sign; catching Sesshoumaru's attention.

"I thought you said the name of the club was Skinz?" She asked.

"It is…"

"Then what is-"

Sesshoumaru hushed her with a 'shush' as he changed directions and submerged himself in the shadows of a nearby ally way. He followed the trail of dim, red colored lights to a door covered in bars and guarded by a burly man standing nearly 7 feet tall. The demon strolled up to the entrance and spoke his name, prompting the bouncer to search through the list of names on a clipboard. Looking at the woman in Sesshoumaru's arms through his shades, the bouncer raised an eyebrow before making an amused grunt and stepping to the side. He knocked the door in a pattern that was difficult for Risa to follow. Suddenly, the rust covered, bar door slowly creaked open and Sesshoumaru was quick to walk inside with his new prize in hand.

"Welcome to Skinz! We hope you have a wonderful time!"

Two scantily clad women, both wearing black formfitting half-shirts and black shorts to match, came running up to greet their guest with an excited bow before running off to disappear behind a red curtain. The room was dark, crowded, and Risa was surprised that she could even make out the details of the other patrons' faces. A stage sat high above the ground in the corner of the billiard room with men of all kinds clambering around it to watch the dancing women with drool covered faces. Sesshoumaru didn't seem interested in such a thing, which raised the question of why he brought her here in the first place. Her question would soon be answered as the demon whisked her away past a set of double doors decorated with cushions and diamonds studding the frame. Two more bouncers stood with their arms crossed and a firm stance indicating that they meant business. As Sesshoumaru came their way, the bouncers shifted positions to allow the demon easy access into what called the V.I.P. area.

Curtain-concealed booths were scattered along the floor and flashing, neon fixtures above provided the only means of lighting in the dark room filled with dancing people of all walks of life. Along the black walls were doors of the same color, each with a bouncer standing front and center holding a key. Waitresses walked to and fro from the bar to their customers; some occasionally stopping by to offer Sesshoumaru and Risa a drink or two, but the silver-haired man had something different in mind. He was clearly on a mission to get the brunette alone and he would be damned if he had to wait any longer by indulging in the distraction of alcohol.

Risa was rather impressed with the sights and sounds of the club, though her shy nature had her wishing that Sesshoumaru had brought her to a different area. She noticed that her date was headed for one of the doors lining the walls and she watched Sesshoumaru pay off the bouncer and receive the key. By this point, the demon had set Risa on her feet however the lack of walking caused her to wobble a bit. As soon as the woman regained her posture, her wrist was in the firm hand of Sesshoumaru, and she was pulled inside the door.

…

"Alright move out of my way you greedy liquor hogs!" Shouted an irritable woman carrying a tray of various drinks laced with fruit flavorings and liquid courage.

The men following had been doing nothing but cat-calling and whistling for the poor waitress's attention. One man even had the audacity to place a palm on her behind! Whirling her head around so she could get a good look at the patron who was so bold as to lay finger on her person, the waitress set the tray down and slammed a fist into her open palm, her beady, red eyes staring daggers at him.

"So are you going to apologize," She said cracking her knuckles, "or will I have to get fired today?"

The man, clearly unfazed by her words, leaned in so he was at eye-level with the feisty waitress, and pointed at his chin.

"Go ahead Sweetheart… Make my day…"

'_Ok then…'_ The waitress thought as she reeled back her fist. She swung with all her might and connected a solid blow on the man's face. He went down with a hard _thud, _surprising the other patrons, but her co-workers went unimpressed. They've seen the way Kagura would handle unruly customers at the bar and they were quite glad about it. There were no rules in _Skinz_; waitresses could beat the shit out of payers, refuse service to whomever, but unfortunately that meant customers were not bound by limitations either. Grabby men, liquor thieves, plenty of bar fights to go around; one, if not all, of these events would take place on an average working night, so when Kagura, _Skinz's_ Vigilantress, began working here, a large decrease in trouble-making was observed.

Of course that didn't mean Kagura was doing this for her health. The feisty woman is always asking for raises, claiming that she's putting her life in danger to make up for the incompetent bouncers guarding the place. To her, it was a rather fair trade. She beats up Cretans, and her manager for the night gives her a hefty salary.

As the raven haired firebrand was picking up her tray to begin serving more drinks, she noticed a rather good-looking man carrying a disappointingly plain looking woman into the V.I.P. area. She smiled and let her curiosity follow the pair through the doors to V.I.P. where then saw the demon pull the brunette into one of the closed rooms. The bouncer to the room raised an eyebrow as he noticed Kagura walk up to him.

"So…" The waitress said with crossed arms, "What new prey has our predator of a boss captured this time?"

* * *

**Whoo even longer chapter! You guys deserve it! Thanks for reading guys and stick around for the next installment! **

**Well I have a favor to ask all of you! To cut down on sporatic updates for each story, I'm planning on putting all my attention on one story till it's finished and then working on another one. Maybe this will also help rid myself of writer's block too... Anyways, if you all could take the time to view my poll in my profile and vote on which story you want to see finished first that would be great! **

**Thank you for keeping up with me and check ya later! :D**


	5. Trickster

Next Door

Chapter 5: Trickster

* * *

She couldn't see anything in the pitch black room; her eyes straining in the darkness to find just the faintest amount of light. Afraid to move, Risa remained in her spot shaking to the point where her glasses almost fell off the poor girl's face. Her breath was shaky and becoming more shallow by the second.

"S-Sesshoumaru?" Risa called nervously.

She heard two claps before the lights came on, though just as dim as the front portion of the club. Judging from the outside, one would never have guessed that the inside of this posh room was so large. Risa turned her attention to the lounging Sesshoumaru whom was sitting comfortably on a leather cushioned chair with a devious smirk on his face. He extended his hand and motioned for Risa to step closer. When she was within arm's reach, the demon was swiftly on his feet and he scooped up the shy woman; his right hand grappling her left, and his own left hand rested on her waist.

Risa made a face of pure confusion as the man before her began swaying her left and right to the beat of the music playing in the background. Leaning in toward her ear, Sesshoumaru pulled her against his form as he whispered to her.

"You aren't like most women I've encountered; so trusting, so innocent and full of love. Not one perverse or terrible thought has crossed that angelic mind of yours, has it?"

Risa felt herself tense; she didn't know why, he was only asking her simple questions. At least she _thought_ they were simple. Risa slowly shook her head in the negative before he let go to spin her around in one fluid motion and pull her back into place. Where in the hell did he learn to dance like that? The brunette figured that would be a question to be answered on a later date for now; she had to figure out what Sesshoumaru's intentions were for bringing her here.

As the two were gliding from side to side, Risa noticed he was dancing them closer and closer to the seat of an extremely large couch. She cracked a nervous smile at him before taking a huge side step away from the sofa and releasing his hands to spin in place.

After executing her dance move, although not as graceful as she hoped for, Risa curtsied, prompting Sesshoumaru to reluctantly bow.

He knew what she was up to, and unfortunately she caught on to his little schemes as well. Well, at least not _all_ of his schemes. Fine, she wanted to play these games, he'll participate. The demon would just have to be the better player; he hated losing. Sesshoumaru extended his hand for her to take, feigning an ironically innocent expression in an attempt to gain her trust. As expected she hesitated on placing her hand in his, but she eventually gave in to his 'charm' only to find that he would merely plant a gentleman's kiss upon the backside. Standing upright once more, Sesshoumaru pulled Risa along to the small bar which was sitting in the corner of the room. As the woman took her seat, she saw that an outline of a door was next to the bar counter. She wondered where it leads to, but decided not to question him. Instead Risa propped her chin on an open palm and watched her 'date' make her a drink.

"Here, drink this." He softly commanded as the glass slid in her direction.

Risa's green eyes darted from him to the tiny bar glass filled with a transparent liquid that was the color of red. She picked it up, but before she indulged in the drink, the brunette shot him a look of disapproval.

"I'm 19. I can't drink this yet…"

Sesshoumaru chuckled and leaned down so he was eye-level with the woman, "Who said I was giving my lovely date alcohol? This," He tapped on the glass, "is my new version of a Sherley Temple. No alcohol, but all the satisfaction of a strong drink."

Gold eyes never wavered from her questioning green irises as Risa contemplated on either taking the shot or giving it back. From her understanding and countless hours of reading, she knew that demons were notorious tricksters and yet…

"It's alright," She finally heard him speak; "I know it's a bit difficult for one such as you to believe the words that come from my mouth. But, I was hoping I could get you to taste this new concoction that I've been working on for some time now. I think that I have it perfected, but an inventor's opinion isn't very credible." He blinked slowly then readjusted his gaze back to her. "However, the opinion of another is far more valuable. So may I ask once more, that you taste this drink for me?"

Risa snapped her focus to the red tinted beverage in her hand, the liquid swishing around from her shaky movements. Without further debate, but with heavy reluctance, Risa brought the edge of her glass to her lips and sipped. Her eyes suddenly shot open from the shock. The drink was absolutely amazing! She continued to guzzle down her shot and before she knew it, the woman was asking for another drink. Then another. And then another. After a few more rounds of the wondrous drink, Risa suddenly began to feel woozy. Her stomach was churning like mad and her eyesight was fuzzing up every few seconds. What was this weird sensation?

Removing herself from the bar stool, Risa nearly fell flat to the floor as she found that her balance was off. The blurriness in her eyes was getting worse, and no amount of tries in adjusting her glasses would fix it. She grabbed onto the seat of the stool and then turned to look at a slyly grinning Sesshoumaru with betrayed emerald eyes.

"You… said… that… there was… no… al… co-"

Landing with a hard thud, the demon behind the bar changed his grin to a sinister smile. As he walked from behind his counter, Sesshoumaru went to a framed picture hanging next to the hidden door Risa was staring at moments earlier and moved it to the side. A fingerprint scanner was revealed. Placing his index finger in the appropriate area, the tiny machine scanned over his print before beeping in approval. The hidden door slid open and Sesshoumaru turned his attention to the unconscious Risa lying near motionless on his floor. As he strode to her location, the demon laughed lowly then picked up her body to carry her into what looked to be an underground cavern.

"Silly girl," he began as he started on his path, "A couple of sleeping pills can do what alcohol cannot; incapacitate without fear of discomfort and a disgusting mess…"

…

Outside the small room, Kagura stood with her hands on her hips and a scowl on her face. She hated waiting for Sesshoumaru to come out and give further instructions, but in his defense, she _did_ follow him without his knowledge. Wanting to make a bit of conversation, she turned to the bouncer who was standing ever so still with his arms crossed and a steady gaze overlooking the V.I.P. area.

"So how do you like working for our boss?" She asked.

Silence.

"… You think he'll give us a bigger cut on the deal money?"

Silence once more.

"Hmph! I swear all you stupid buffoons do is stand around like lifeless puppets!"

"It's called 'doing my job', unlike you." The bouncer finally replied. "Besides, aren't you supposed to be waitressing in the other part of the club?"

Before Kagura could answer, the door behind them opened revealing Sesshoumaru. His amber orbs rested on his female subordinate, "I was just about to send for you. Close up the club and get ready for tonight. Have everything prepare when I get back. My 'real' customers will be showing up in the next hour."

As Sesshoumaru turned around to go back inside his room, Kagura smirked at the bouncer in a mocking manner before setting out to clear out _Skinz_. However, she did have to wonder where he was going. It wasn't like the boss to go out on unexpected errands so close to opening up shop.

'_Interesting…'_ The woman thought to herself.

…

Miki sat on the couch in the now half-filled living room of the house. While her sister was out on a hot date, she stayed home and helped the parental units carry all the heavy ass furniture in the house. Thinking about her sore arms and legs, Miki huffed with a slight pout on her bottom lip before sighing to let go of her anger. In the midst of her jealousy that Risa obtained a date with their hot new neighbor, the younger Kuro couldn't help but feel a pang of worry slip through her body. It was now going on seven-thirty in the evening and Risa only left to meet up for lunch. _Just_ lunch! Where the in the hell was she? With her parents out for the night as well, Miki was forced to stay at home and wait up for her sister.

'_Maybe I'm overreacting… she is nineteen after all, she's allowed to stay out however long she desires to…'_ She thought in reassurance.

From the corner of her eyes, she saw her cell phone. Turning to it, Miki picked up the small device and tapped on the arrow buttons to scroll down to Risa's number. She then began typing in a message asking her when she would be home.

'_Well it never hurts to check up on my sister…' _She thought. But just after hitting the 'send' button, the doorbell rang.

Miki just up in slight panic, startled by the loud chiming that interrupted the silence within the house. She willed her sore legs to move her from the couch and walk across the living room toward the foyer where the grand front door awaited her. The young Kuro pushed open the small curtain covering the window next to the door and peeked outside. She nearly jumped with glee as she saw the faces of Sesshoumaru and Risa, but her excitement would have to wait as she saw that her sister was her date's arms; her body limp and motionless.

"Good evening Mr. Hiro… what's wrong with Risa?" Miki asked with a worried expression on her face.

"No need to fret. Your sister was extremely tired coming back from town after our dancing date."

Miki, confused, scrunched her eyebrows as she narrowed her eyes at the demon. "Dancing? I thought it was just a lunch date?"

"Yes, it _was_. But since we were having such a great time at the restaurant, I figured I could flesh out the date a little longer. So I took her dancing. I also took the liberty of bringing her car back, so she need not worry about transportation. Now, where is her room so I can lie her down for the night?"

Miki kept a questioning look on her face for a moment longer before finally relenting on her interrogation. She led him through the house, up the stairs, and down the hallway to Risa's room. As she opened the door, Miki could hear mumblings from her older sister, but could barely make out what she was saying.

'_At least she's conscious…Somewhat.'_ Miki thought as she watched Sesshoumaru set Risa on her mattress.

"Thank young Miss." The man before her said.

"No problem." Miki replied.

Once Sesshoumaru was escorted out of the house, Miki closed the door and locked up the house for the night. She showered up and brushed her teeth before going to check in on her older sister once more. Risa looked peaceful sleeping, but there was something about the whole situation that didn't add up. If knew her sister well – and she indeed did – then Miki would know that Risa wasn't the type to go out to clubs and such. She was too much of a bookworm to take part in that type of activity, and Miki doubt that Sesshoumaru was a one man miracle worker.

But seeing that Risa didn't look hurt or discomforted, Miki figured that maybe she was worrying too much and decided to finally get some rest.

'_Who knows?' _Miki thought, _'Maybe he's bringing out a side of Risa that the family needs to see. I _am_ always griping about how she needs to get out more.'_


	6. Angel's Blood

Next Door

Chapter 6: Angel's Blood

* * *

_Bzzt…_

_Bzzt…_

_Bzzt…_

…

Risa felt the phone that was settled snuggly in her bosom vibrate, causing her to awaken to the surprising sensation. Slowly coming back into reality, Risa's head was pounding and her eyes focused to see that her glasses were still on her face, though they were nearly falling off her ears. She pushed them back to rest squarely on her nose before yawing and looking around to observe her surroundings.

She was back at home. Somehow she made it back to the comfort of her mattress but her clothes from the day before were still on. Remembering her formerly ringing phone, Risa fished it out of her top and pressed a button to light up the screen. It was an alarm clock that was set to wake her up at eight forty-five and she then turned it off. The day was Monday, and with a small groan, Risa finally realized it was a school day and that classes started at ten-thirty. With reluctance, she forced herself out of bed and went to ready herself.

The house was quiet; Miki was already in school and her parents more than likely left for work about five hours ago. But being alone in the house sent a chilling felling up her spine. She was still confused as to how she came back home. Risa then saw a note on the bathroom door as she went to brush her teeth. She picked it up and saw that it was from Miki.

'_Hey Sis,_

_Sesshoumaru came by last night and dropped you off from your date last night. He said you were tired from dancing too much but I think a little _more_ happened (If you know what I mean ;3). Anyways I'm glad you had fun and I'm gonna want details of everything that went on when I get back from school today!_

_3 Miki_

_PS. Oh! Sesshoumaru said he brought back your car so you won't be late for classes. Isn't that sweet?_

_PSS. Oh! And Mom said to make sure we get more boxes unpacked today. Ugh!_

Risa crumpled up the note after reading it and threw the paper away in the trash bin. So that answered one question. But her mind was still focused on the events that occurred before she blacked out at the club. That tricky demon put something in her drink, and she could only shudder at the thought of what went on while she was unconscious.

As she brushed through her golden brown locks, Risa noticed that her right wrist was a tad sore. Setting the brush down, she examined it and found a tiny circular band-aid.

"What the hell?" Risa audibly said to herself. "What the heck did he do to me last night?"

…

Sesshoumaru sat in the library of Hartman University looking through medical book after medical book. With a pen and notebook on the ready, the silver-haired man wrote down everything that came off as interesting to him. However, the process would have went even smoother if the crowd of ogling girls weren't sitting so close to him.

"Shall I turn the page for you handsome?" One girl asked in a flirtatious manner.

She received nothing but a glower in response, and the student went to sit up straight and back out of Sesshoumaru's space. The other girls, unfortunately, weren't so quick to catch on to his nonverbal signals for them to leave his presence. Just as Sesshoumaru was about to give up on studying in peace, his phone started to vibrate in his pocket. He looked on the screen to see that Kagura had sent him a text. Using this as an excuse for privacy, Sesshoumaru shooed the girls away and let out a sigh of relief, happy that he was alone.

Reading through the message, Sesshoumaru grew a pleasant smirk on his face as he read the good news.

'_Kagura: Everything went smoothly last night sir. Customers are interested in what you'll have in stock for them next week. Also, I've prepared everything for this afternoon's experiment. I'll be waiting for you at 6 this evening._

_-Wind Bitch-'_

Sesshoumaru clicked from his messages page and set his phone down. In a way, this was bittersweet. Sure his 'real' customers were taking some fascination with his new product; however, he only had about a week to come up with it. Everything needed to be perfect.

"I'm telling you Koga, this guy gives me the creeps."

The recognizable sound of Risa's voice rang through the taiyoukai's ears, prompting him to rush from his work station and hide behind a nearby bookcase. He overheard her first statement, and wanted to find out what the young brunette really thought of him.

"Why don't you just go to the police? I would; sounds like he's real bad news." The male called 'Koga' advised.

"I would, but… I don't think I really have a case on my hands. I mean it's not like I woke up feeling terrible, or different. All my belongings were still with me and the band-aid on my wrist… it could easily be explained for a number of reasons… Who knows, maybe I was just tired from excitement."

"Oh see that's a huge mistake you're making. Blaming yourself is never the right thing to do. However I can see what you about taking your case to the police. The way I see it, I think you should just stay away from him. And if he causes you trouble you know who to call."

"The police?" Risa asked.

"No! Me! I'll take care of him for ya!"

As Risa's giggling ended their conversation, Sesshoumaru quietly left his hiding place to exit the library out the back door. This 'Koga' Risa was speaking with, left an irritating impression on the graceful demon. Who did that runt think he was dealing with? Certainly not the great Sesshoumaru that's who!

Now that he knew Risa would reject him the next time the two crossed paths – which the taiyoukai expected - Sesshoumaru had dismissed his plan of asking Risa out on another date, he would need another plan of action. But first, he needed to head back to his office in at _Skinz_.

He reviewed his research notes, and though he was disappointed that his studying ended early, Sesshoumaru figured that this would be sufficient information for his work this evening.

…

Kagura, followed by an entourage of nicely dressed bouncers, walked into Sesshoumaru's underground club and traveled through the V.I.P. area to the back room where their boss' office was located. One of the bouncers was carrying a small woman who looked to be about the same age as Risa with brown eyes and black locks, a cloth covering her mouth. The demoness Kagura was now dressed in a short silver dress with matching heels and carrying a closed fan. She led her entourage through the bar room into the underground tunnel and stopped in front of a cell-like room. Pointing her closed fan in the direction of the cell, the men instantly bound the woman to the wall. Each wrist was shackled and the woman hung against the stony wall with her feet barely touching the ground below. The room was dim and a lone desk sat in the far corner next to the cell door. Behind the desk were two chairs and Kagura took a seat while she waited for Sesshoumaru. The bouncers, however, stood at attention.

Sesshoumaru arrived on the scene a few minutes before six, and raised his brow at the demoness sitting on his chair, her feet propped up on his desk.

"You're early. How strange. You aren't about to ask me for a raise are you?" The man asked Kagura.

The demoness, unfazed by his remark, sneered before standing up to present him the new arrival. Kagura, followed by Sesshoumaru, went up to the woman hanging against the wall and smiled.

"Here she is Hiro-sama, your subject. I received medical records from the hospital spy and pulled up the little miss here. Healthy, clean, and pure, just like that Risa girl."

"Hn. Quite. Well then, let's begin; we don't have time to waste."

"Yes Hiro-sama."

As Sesshoumaru went to work, somehow he couldn't take his mind off of Risa. He had actually been focusing on what the girl was saying about him in the library. Why was it the fact that she didn't want to be around him bothered the taiyoukai to no end? To others, they would argue that there were others way more appealing than the plain brunette with common green eyes. But to him, the girl was so beautiful…

Why?!

A growl purred at the back of his throat; what was it about that woman that made her so different from the others? What _was_ it that made her so… so… Irresistible? He just had to have her for himself; and to have her as more than just a source for his newest narcotic, Angel's Blood. But there was that one annoying problem; this irritating fact had been taunting his thoughts ever since he laid eyes on the cute girl.

She was human.

He sneered as his thought clung desperately to that small tidbit, but suddenly, something came to the demon's mind as he looked down to examine the vial that he pulled from his pocket. It was filled with what appeared to be blood, and the vial was marked in permanent marker, '_Risa - Angel's Blood__.' _He then looked to new the dangling woman before him and cocked a brow.

Maybe this could provide a great experimenting opportunity.


	7. Deceit Among Us (aka) A Deal With Rin

_**4/15/13**_

_**I'm slowly making a comeback, and as you can see, I'm revising all my chapters to 1) Make the chapters/story a little longer and 2) To fill in some major plot holes I found in my original story (and to make it more interesting or entertaining). So for those of you who are familiar with this story it may help to read from about chapter 3 or 4 since that's when I started making the changes.**_

Next Door

Chapter 7: Deceit Among Us aka: A Deal with Rin

* * *

For the past week, Risa had not seen any sign of her neighbor Sesshoumaru Hiro. But even with the man's absence, the brunette still felt uneasy. When asked about the relationship by her parents, Risa would just reply with a shrug or a "Maybe he's busy."

Another noticeable change in Risa's behavior was the increasing amount of time she had been spending with Koga. Risa had told her family, specifically Miki that it was perfectly normal for two friends to hang out with each other. But it _was _understandable that Mr. and Mrs. Kuro would think there was something a little bit more going on between the two. Twice this week, Koga had been over for dinner. He also helped Risa with unpacking, studying, and had kept by her side while escorting her in-between classes and when they left the Hartman campus.

It was small tasks such as these that eased Risa, and at one point, the brunette thought that she would never have to deal with Sesshoumaru again.

That is until he called her one fateful Saturday night.

_...Saturday a few hours before the call…_

Sesshoumaru and Kagura had finally reached their destination; the main auction room. It was rather dimly lit; which, in Sesshoumaru's opinion, suited the shady occasion well. Bidders, mostly male accompanied by female 'plus-ones', were all making their way to the seats next to the wooden stage that was a few heads taller than the main host himself. Sesshoumaru's golden orbs scanned the room carefully as he was looking for a particular patron of interest.

Finally…

If a man such as Sesshoumaru could feel any type of emotion, he would say that the sight of the spider demon Naraku actually _relieved_ him. Ever since the drug lord began his little 'business', Naraku was always his top bidder, leaving Sesshoumaru to rake in hundreds of thousands of dollars. If he didn't know any better, the dog demon would say he almost had a partner on his hands.

But of course he _did_ know better.

In this underground world, never trust a single soul; only _pretend_ to have faith in one another.

Without a look to his right-hand woman, Kagura, Sesshoumaru waved for her to start the auction, and he handed the vial filled with Risa's blood to her; but not before keeping a small amount to himself, he still had some business to take care of.

With her entourage in tow, the demoness slinked her way through the crowd of whistling men toward the stage. Each time her heels would clack on the stairs, a booming echo was heard throughout the room, catching the attention of the bidders. Men who were more risk-takers sat close to the stage while the rest stayed a good distance away from it. Kagura then tapped on the microphone head a few times with her fan and cleared her throat before leaning in to speak.

"Gentlemen," She said before sneering at the women who were all sending her glares from their seats. "And _ladies_ – I use that term lightly, welcome to our tenth annual drug bid. It's hosted by none other than Sesshoumaru Hiro and – heh – yours truly. Our first product up for auction is among our very finest. Some of you may already know what this is…" Kagura then held up the slender tube filled with Risa's blood, "Said to be a demon's equivalent to what humans call, steroids, _Angel's Blood _strengthens a demon's abilities ten, no… one_ hundred_–fold! Contrary to the name given."

As the room began to rumble lightly with quiet laughter at Kagura's pun, Sesshoumaru stayed within the shadows of his bidding room; next to him, Naraku. With a head full of long, black, slightly violet-tinted locks, the spider's cold, dark eyes watched the demoness as she spoke highly of the newest narcotic that he, himself, had come to grow fond of. Taking a sip from his red wine that was the same color of his eyes, he slightly turned to look at the ever-stoic Sesshoumaru, though it looked like the dog had something on his mind.

"Wonderful show, as always." Naraku began. His voice was deep but a slight octave higher than Sesshoumaru's. "And yet, something that is troubling your thoughts is preventing you from enjoying it, no?"

Gold orbs shifted briefly to the spider before Sesshoumaru acknowledged his question. He lifted his hand to point in the direction of a man who sat a sizeable distance from the rest of his guests; a first at his auctions.

"It's just that, I've never seen him here before." Sesshoumaru replied.

"You believe he is of law enforcement?"

"No. No human cop would be dumb enough to go undercover alone, especially when surrounded by demons."

Naraku chuckled, "Hm… then I firmly believe he should be of no concern to you, hm? Now, if you will excuse me, I have a drug to bid for…"

As Sesshoumaru watched his guest leave his side, the dog returned his mind to what was really the subject of his deep thinking. He didn't want to confess that he had developed an idea to alter the genetic make-up of humans so they too, would become demons. If Angel's Blood did wonders for a youkai's body, what could it do to a mortal's? There was only one way to find out; live test subjects.

Good thing he already had one in stock…

Sneaking back through a secret door leading to the underground cells, Sesshoumaru couldn't contain his sadistic excitement as he made a beeline back to his hanging prisoner.

…

Rin Kyosuke dangled in the air for what seemed like days, though she was convinced that it was really mere hours. Her arms were becoming numb and she ceased crying out for help after realizing that her location was out of earshot to anyone who could help passing by. With her throat sore from futilely screaming, Rin sighed solemnly and took the time to think about how she ended up in this situation. She only left the house for a few hours so she could donate her blood. But then again, this world was full of dangers; day and night, it didn't matter. You could be picked up off the streets anytime, anywhere.

Suddenly, the sound of lone footsteps caught her attention, and she tensed. Through process of elimination, Risa figured that they weren't coming from Kagura since the steps didn't click as hard against the cobblestone ground, though at this point she had hoped and prayed for the demoness Kagura to turn the corner rather than the demon that actually did. The brown-eyed girl gasped as Sesshoumaru had made himself known; an ironically terrifying Cheshire Cat smile appeared on the dog's features. Every white, sharp fang could be seen and a gleam in his piercing amber eyes sent cold chills down Rin's spine. She noticed him flex his claws slowly before opening the bars to her cell, that terrible smile still planted on his face.

Before she had time to adjust to his new demeanor, Sesshoumaru already had his sinister claws wrapped around her small face. He freed her mouth from the cloth and she felt him tighten his grip on her cheeks as he forcibly poked out her lips. He leaned in closer; his hot breath slapped against her facial features and she whimpered upon hearing him growl before releasing her face. With his twisted smile now gone the demon pulled out his vial of Risa's spare blood and swirled it around, watching the liquid as if he was in a deep trance.

"Rin…" He whispered, "I have a favor to ask of you."

Rin remained silent, but she had to wonder what it was he wanted from her.

"I am in urgent need of a volunteer for a little project I am working on, and I am hoping you will comply?"

Rin still kept quiet, the eerie silence that formed in the air as Sesshoumaru looked her dead in the eyes was becoming too much to handle.

"Hn. I'll take the silence as a 'yes' then? I'm glad you understand dear Rin." He said.

… _Two Hours Later …_

With arms crossed and huffing angrily every few seconds, Kagura watched with a bored expression as the bouncers came in to deconstruct the seating area of the bidding room. She could not believe that Sesshoumaru had just disappeared on her like that! What was she to do if the bidders became too rowdy? What would have happened if one bold and brave soul decided to make off with his _precious_ product?

"Kill them where they stand." Kagura muttered lightly, mocking Sesshoumaru's possible response to her mental questions.

Recalling the events of tonight's auction, the demoness unfolded her fan and waved it to and fro at a comfortable pace, the gentle breeze she created was easing her mind. To no one's surprise, Naraku had placed the highest bid on the Angel's Blood and she had watched with amusement as potential buyers left the club disgruntled and completely pissed off.

Suddenly a bodyguard from Naraku's entourage, donning a spider tattoo under his jaw, trudged up to her carrying a note.

"This note is from Naraku. He requested that I give it to you." He said passing the paper to the demoness.

Kagura raised a thin brow, waved off the man with a flick of her wrist, and proceeded to read her message.

_Woman, keep up the excellent work by serving as my spy. Who knows, once that damned dog is out of the picture, you may have a place by my side as I take over this city; starting with the very product of his creation. Train those beautiful eyes on him and have an update for me by the end of the month. Let _nothing_ slip past you._

_-Naraku_

Kagura smirked slyly before slipping the note into her dress. She needed to discard it in secrecy like the others lest dying by the hand of her 'boss' Sesshoumaru. Turning swiftly to walk through the tunnels, her footsteps stopped to look at the cell that held the woman named Rin. Noticing the cloth gone from her mouth, Kagura surmised that Sesshoumaru had paid the prisoner a visit before slinking off to take care of other business.

'_Curses!'_ Kagura thought, _'He could have been working on something big and I missed it! He must have left me there to tend to the auction by myself on purpose!'_

Kagura grit her teeth. She just _knew_ that Sesshoumaru had given her his full trust, but obviously that was not so. She needed a plan. Kagura could not let another opportunity to witness something important slide again. Time was working against her; she could be killed and Naraku would send someone in her place, or Sesshoumaru would expose her as a spy and slay her on spot. Growling in anger, she opened her fan and sent blades of wind hurtling towards the stone wall to her left. Her attack left a myriad of clean cuts on the rocky surface but the sturdy wall had not come down.

As she composed herself, her beady, red eyes caught sight of a note, this time a Post-it, which hung delicately on one of the bars of the cell door.

'_Kagura,_

_Feed the prisoner ample amounts of food. I will be starting my work in the morning. You, on the other hand, will continue to work my club upstairs as a waitress until your assistance in prepping for the auction next month is needed. Start tomorrow at 5:30 in the evening because you will be helping the other employees open the club. That is all._

_Hiro'_

As Kagura read on, she groaned as she found that she was to start work earlier than normal. Looking in the cell room, a smirk lied heavy on the demoness's face. Apparently the girl inside was awake and glaring daggers at the wind demon, but a simple hard look wouldn't faze this demoness. She instead opened the cell door, picked up a chair, and walked up to Rin before sitting down and crossing her legs.

"What the hell do you want Bitch?" Rin hissed.

Kagura cocked a brow. She was amused by the bit of fire this girl had in her spirit.

"Oh… nothing much. I just want to ask you a few questions is all…" Kagura replied coyly.

"What the hell do you want to know?"

"As you know, the man with the silver hair Sesshoumaru has been hard at work down here. Has he told you what his latest project is yet?"

Rin scoffed before turning her head away from Kagura, "That Angel's Blood nonsense right? You already know that right or are you just too stupid to understand anything that goes on around here? My guess is the second part."

"Now you just listen to me you little bitch!" Kagura snapped as she hopped up from her seat and opened her fan in the blink of an eye. "I'm actually trying to cut a deal with you, but if you cross me, so help me, I'll have your head cut off in an instant!"

"Tch, you don't scare me."

"Oh really? You think you're untouchable because Sesshoumaru needs a live prisoner here to work his little experiments on? Well, you're wrong. I can easily replace you with a subject that holds all your same qualities and more. Young and healthy is the criteria here, Little Rinny, and you're in no position to feign bravery. _Especially_ while _I'm _around." Kagura then reached up to snag Rin's face and turn it to face hers. "So I'll ask again. What. Is. Sesshoumaru. Working. On. Now?"

Rin's eyes slightly widened as Kagura made her threat, and from the look in her eyes, the wind demoness didn't seem like the type who would hesitate on fulfilling death threat. With a sigh, Rin looked to Kagura and began to tell the demoness everything she knew – which was actually nothing.

"He didn't exactly say what he planned on doing to me, or with the substance he created. All he did was 'ask' me to 'volunteer' to be his guinea pig for his next experiment. Needless to say, I'm not too excited about it."

Kagura nodded her head before patting Rin on the cheek. "Good girl. Now, we can start the real negotiating." Kagura said.

Sitting down, the spunky demoness began fanning herself once more as she gathered her thoughts. "We have something in common with each other, you and me. It's our hatred for that bastard Sesshoumaru. You may never understand why I hate him, but I think I have a pretty good understanding why you do. So let's make a deal shall we?"

Rin narrowed her eyes and gave Kagura a sideways glance, but didn't question the woman before her. "I'm listening…" She responded.

With a smirk, Kagura began her deal, "Why don't you help me, help you? See, for reasons I will not divulge, I need to spy on Sesshoumaru. But the problem is, is he doesn't trust me. I need a spy of my own, which is you."

"What the hell do you expect me to do in these chains?"

"Nothing really, just keep quiet, act like you normally would when interacting in a hostage situation," Kagura giggled for a moment after realizing her first statement. "And report your findings when I come back to check on you."

Rin nodded but was still confused, "How will this help _me?_"

"Oh bunches, trust me. Or…" Kagura let Rin have a sideways glance of her own as half her face hid behind her fan. "Or do you want to stay here wondering when help will arrive, even though it never will?"

"Why not just call the police?"

"Oh no Little Rinny! A job like this is much too delicate for police to be involved. Besides you wouldn't want your hero behind bars would you?"

"But you were the one who kidnapped me!"

"All for the sake of acting my part, Deary! I needed to be in Sesshoumaru's loop _somehow!_ Goodness, you have much to learn about the world. Specifically, the Underground."

Rin rolled her eyes before sighing and reluctantly accepting the demoness' terms. But what choice did she have? At the moment, it looked like Kagura her _only _means of escaping out of this hell hole.

'_What can I say? The enemy of my enemy is my friend…' _Rin thought. "Alright Lady, you got a deal."

…_Meanwhile, A Few Hours Later…_

_Riiing Riiing…_

_Riiing Riiing…_

_Riiing Ri-_

Inadvertently forgetting to check the caller ID, Risa picked up her phone. "Hello?" She answered.

"Hello Risa…"

Risa gasped as she heard the chillingly familiar sound of Sesshoumaru's voice echo through her ears. Why was he calling all of a sudden, and so late in the evening? At the moment Sesshoumaru called, Risa had just come in from hanging out with Koga at the movies.

"W-What do you want?" She asked him timidly.

"I'm calling for another date…"

* * *

_**Thank you for making it through to the end of the chapter! I hoped you guys liked it even though it was a bit slow. Thanks for the reviews and support from you all, I really appreciate it, and keep on the lookout for my next chapter!**_

_**Reese's 'Peaces'**_


	8. Mates and Jealousy

Next Door

Chapter 8: Mates and Jealousy

* * *

_Previously on 'Next Door'_

_"Hello Risa…"_

_Risa gasped as she heard the chillingly familiar sound of Sesshoumaru's voice echo through her ears. Why was he calling all of a sudden, and so late in the evening? At the moment Sesshoumaru called, Risa had just come in from hanging out with Koga at the movies._

_"W-What do you want?" She asked him timidly._

_"I'm calling for another date…"_

…_Now…_

Risa blinked her eyes in bewilderment before answering Sesshoumaru. "What do you mean another date?"

"I mean you and me, going out wherever I please, in a romantic setting. That is all."

"That's _all?!_" Risa looked left and right before making a mad dash up the stairs and into her room. Shutting and locking the door so Miki couldn't barge in, Risa sighed before regaining composure and sitting down on her bed. "No. No, I'm sorry Sesshoumaru but the answer is 'no'."

"What!?" He growled out before continuing with his reply. "Why?"

"Well for starters, let's talk about the f-…. Let's talk about the fu-uuu-…." Risa gulped down a knot in her throat, before managing to state her reply. "Let's talk about the fudging drink." Risa had never been one to swear, so the fact that Sesshoumaru had made her angry enough to _almost_ do so, was a pretty astonishing feat.

On the other side of the phone, Sesshoumaru rolled his eyes, but he did curse himself for not taking that fact into consideration. He _did _drug her on their last date. As he was about to attempt to persuade her, Risa continued, her voice riddled with anger.

"I should have called the cops! Who knows what you did to me during the time I was passed out! I saw a band-aid on my wrist the following morning! So before I get myself-"

"I lied to you."

Risa stopped. "Wh-what?"

"Alright, you caught me. It was alcohol; a new type of alcohol that I whipped up. I did not realize it was going to be that strong. So that's why you passed out."

"…W-Well what about the bandage on my wrist?!"

"When you fell, your wrist landed on a stray piece of glass that I missed picking up two nights before. It pricked you slightly, but it was enough to make you bleed so I put a small band-aid on the 'wound.'"

Risa remained silent for a moment. The argument was pretty valid, and Miki didn't seem alarmed upon her return the first night. But there was one burning question in the back of her mind.

"Why did you tell my sister we went dancing then?"

"Even though it was for a moment, we _did _dance, no? And besides, what would you look like to your family if I had told them you had too much alcohol? But then again, there was deceit. You had no idea of the drink content, and for that I humbly apologize. Please, let me make it up to you Risa. I promise there will be no drinks, no spiked food. Just us and a good time."

Risa's cheeks flushed with red as he made his apology and asked her out on another date. Astonishing; he even said _please_. But what was she to do? It's not like she was ready to completely trust him, and yet, he sounded so sincere in his apology. There was a long and tense-filled silence between them before Risa made the first sound. Clearing her throat, she called for his attention with an 'ok.'

"Ok. Fine, I will accept your offer. But we will remain _outdoors, in daylight_,where it's _heavily_ surrounded by people, and where there are _cops_ got it? Take me to the mall or something."

"Fair enough."

"When and where?" Risa asked, the sound of defeat riddled in her voice.

Sesshoumaru responded by giving her the date and time – which was next Saturday at two in the afternoon - before saying his good-byes and hanging up the phone with Risa.

Risa let out a heavy sigh before flopping down on her mattress. She buried her face in her hands as she tried to cope with what she just agreed to do. Risa walked over to unlock the door so as not to worry Miki or her parents, then cracked it open slightly before laying back down to go to sleep. Was it really the right thing to trust Sesshoumaru again? Risa didn't know.

When Monday rolled around, Risa was a bit out of sorts upon seeing her friend Koga. Noticing this, the wolf walked over to Risa to check up on her. He laid a consoling hand on her shoulder and gave her a questioning look.

"What's up Risa? You seem nervous."

Risa, playing into her nervous habit, began fiddling with her glasses, wiping invisible dirt from her lenses every few seconds or so. Her green eyes dart back and forth throughout the hallways wondering if she would see the domineering Sesshoumaru Hiro in her sights. Koga then reached for her hands so he could claim her attention.

"Hey! Reese! Talk to me! What's wrong with you?"

Risa then snapped her focus to a worried Koga. She sighed after realizing she almost suffered from a nervous breakdown. "Oh it's noth-"

"Liar."

"Ok it's Sesshoumaru." Risa said quickly.

"What?!" Koga exclaimed. "That guy givin' you trouble again?"

Risa didn't know where to start. Just a week ago, she was confiding in Koga about how creepy and possibly dangerous this dog demon could be, and now she had to tell him that she agreed to a second date. Risa swallowed a lump that had been wedged in her throat from the nervousness then proceeded to tell Koga the – somewhat – bad news.

"You _WHAT?_!" Koga cried.

"What was I to do? He made me feel bad for thinking the worst of him…"

"You were supposed to say 'no', that's what!" Koga then turned from Risa, his hands on his hips as he shook his head disapprovingly. "You gotta break this date off Reese. You just gotta."

"It's not that simple Koga."

"What's not simple? Just call him up, and say, 'Hey, I don't think we should see each other anymore.' Hang up, and then move on with your life."

"Koga…" Risa started but then hesitated. True, Sesshoumaru did kind of creep the young brunette out, but she really wanted to give him a second chance. Maybe he really isn't as bad as she previously thought.

"You're still going to go ain't ya?"

Koga was met with silence, but he sighed and outstretched his arms so he could embrace his friend. Risa's cheeks were flushed in a bright red. This was the first time Koga had ever embraced her in the seven years they had known each other. It was almost as if she could finally feel how much he cared for her well-being.

"I… just don't want you to end up like those chicks that fall in love with some dream guy who turns out to be a nightmarish psycho…" Koga started. "I just want you to be happy and safe…" He then pulled away slightly to look down at her before continuing. "Preferably w-"

"Risa…"

The familiar low rumble that was Sesshoumaru's voice sailed through Risa's ears, and the young girl whipped her head around to see her Saturday night date standing just a few feet down the hall. As Risa gasped, she could hear Koga mutter "Aw… Man" with disdain in his tone.

Risa pulled out of Koga's hug and walked to Sesshoumaru, who's expression wasn't entirely too pleased. "Ahem, H-Hi…" She said.

"Have I interrupted something?" The dog asked as he looked up to glare at Koga who was giving him an equally as menacing gaze.

"N-no. Not at all, I was feeling a little down, and Koga here was just cheering me up." Risa explained trying not to sound fearful.

"Hn." Sesshoumaru responded; his gaze still fixated on Koga.

Risa bit her lower lip as she maintained her sheepish look. She then looked back to Koga and asked for him to leave. Reluctantly, the wolf conceded to her request and began walking away, looking back every so often to see if Risa was still safe.

Koga didn't know why, but the thought of that stupid dog laying his filthy claws on Risa made his blood boil. And the more he thought of his Risa falling deeper in love with Sesshoumaru, the more Koga wanted to slit that high and mighty dog's throat. But all Koga could do was hope and pray that fate would give Koga a chance to have Risa as his own.

…

Sesshoumaru watched the wolf demon disappear through the double doors, growling slightly before snapping his head down to look at Risa. She looked afraid as she took a step back from him. Wondering what caused this behavior, Sesshoumaru cocked a brow in question.

"Why are you giving me that look?"

She pointed at him. "Your eyes… they were turning red…"

Sesshoumaru blinked, as if doing that action would make the hue disappear. "Red you say? Hm, you must forgive me my dear, because I don't normally act so vicious. But please try to understand that I don't like seeing my intended mate in the arms of another man."

"Wait, wait, wait." Risa said. She held up two hands for him to stop speaking, waving them about as if clearing the air. "_Intended mate_?"

"That is correct. In my culture we have a term that symbolizes two people in a relationship; mates. Your human culture gives it a myriad of nonsense names such as husband and wife, boyfriend and girlfriend, betrothed. No, we are mates."

Risa then gave Sesshoumaru a baffled look. It was as if he had already claimed her before they even went out on their date.

'_Maybe Koga's right… Maybe he will turn into those nightmarish boyfriends like what I see on TV…'_

Risa then broke from her thoughts to stand up straight and tall. It was time to tame this beast named Sesshoumaru, but as she opened her mouth to speak, a slender finger pressed against her lips, silencing her. Sesshoumaru leaned in so his lips were brushing against her ear.

"It's nothing to fear my dear Risa. It's something to embrace." He then placed a kiss on the bottom of her jaw. "Please, let me have a chance to impress my love."

Sesshoumaru let go of her face and slinked into the next hallway, leaving Risa to sink in everything she had just heard. Placing a shaky hand on her chest to calm her rapidly beating heart, the brunette leaned against the wall and purposefully banged the back of her head against the wall. Now what was she to do? Sesshoumaru seemed pretty adamant that Risa would be his sooner rather than later, but what of Koga? Risa looked in the direction the wolf left in, a sigh leaving her lungs. What would happen if she and Sesshoumaru became an item? Would he care? Would he still want to be her friend? Or will the two kill each other trying to vie for her attention? The woman didn't have all the answers yet, but she would first have to survive her Saturday night date.

…

Casual-clad and strutting her way down the streets of Hartman, Kagura was making her way to _Skinz_ to begin work as a waitress. For the past couple of days, Rin has given reports useless in forwarding her efforts, but Kagura was hoping that today would be different. There was no way that Sesshoumaru would waste any more time in beginning one of his biggest projects. Besides, the more she thought about having to report to Naraku with no new updates, the more the demoness felt cold chills run up her spine.

Though the feisty woman was deep in her thoughts, Kagura was also keeping up a firm guard. She could sense that someone was following her.

Quickly, she turned into one of the nearby alleys and pulled out her fan from a jean pocket. Opening it swiftly, Kagura positioned the unorthodox weapon in her hands so she could swing it backhanded if the need arose.

"I suggest you go about your own business. Or must I kill you today?" She said menacingly, her back facing whomever she was speaking with.

"I don't think Lord Sesshoumaru would take too kindly to that."

And there it was that squawking! That oh so annoying voice that scratched at her ears belonging to the bane of her existence; Jaken. Kagura righted herself to an upright position as she closed her fan with an angry _snap_. Turning around to look fully at the familiar face before her, Kagura huffed and shoved both fists into her sides, taking a sassy stance.

"Well I'm pretty sure '_Lord'_ Sesshoumaru wouldn't care if that irritating scraggle you call a voice goes missing for – oh I don't know – all eternity." Kagura snipped, red eyes glaring harshly at the small imp.

Said imp responded with a mischievous chuckle before turning on his stubby toes and hobbling out of the alleyway, his staff in tow. Kagura kept a steady pace behind him often wondering how one so short in stature could tote around something over two times his height. Suddenly, the green demon caught the henchwoman's attention as he stopped in the middle of the sidewalk. The two were no more than a mere few steps away from the entrance of _Skinz_.

"What's the meaning of this toad?" Kagura asked impatiently.

"Why are you working for Lord Sesshoumaru wench?"

The demoness rolled her eyes, "I thought that would be obvious enough, I need the money."

"Hmm… no Kagura it isn't. Actually I find it quite interesting that you just now decide to seek employment under our lord just as he was inventing this Angel's Blood of his."

"What exactly are you implying?" The woman's patience was running thin.

Steely, yellow eyes shifted to spare Kagura a condescending look before he began to trudge along to the front entrance. "Lord Sesshoumaru is no fool woman. I suggest you tread carefully around him lest you find yourself six feet below his boot."

As the imp walked inside the club, Kagura growled and took hold of the door handle, squeezing the metal fixture as if she was gripping the neck of the oh-so-annoying Jaken. As much as she hated to admit to herself, but the damned imp was on to her and what frightened her most were the chances of her walking inside to meet with Sesshoumaru only to be greeted with five poison claws to the face.

Finishing her musings, Kagura released the death-grip on the door handle before finally walking inside the club, her co-workers greeting her with salutations.

...

The sight of the wriggling woman attached to the wall amused the sadistic Sesshoumaru greatly, though he wished for Risa to be in place of his test subject. Today, the silver-haired man hoped to make an astonishing discovery in not only the drug world, but to cover new ground in the fields of genetics. He hoped that his little concoction would turn normal everyday mortals into full-blown demons. If this worked, the value of his product could double, no, _triple_ in price!

Sesshoumaru walked over to his drawers and pulled out the vial of Angel's Blood; ready to begin testing. Suddenly his watch began beeping uncontrollably and gold eyes flickered over to the face of his watch. Silencing the alarm, he the growled in hatred of these menial interruptions in his work.

Focusing his attention back to the screaming and kicking prisoner, Sesshoumaru grinned widely. He had a drug to test. A readied vial in hand, the demon lurked closer to his intended target, released one arm from its shackle, and lined up the needle carefully with an exposed vein. Casting his blank stare over the girl, Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes slightly in warning.

"Keep still Rin or I'll make you." He snapped.

Said Rin continued to scream, but her movements lessened, taking heed of his threat. The demon would think her smart as he finally pushed the thin needle into her arm and emptied out a fixed amount of the vial's contents, making sure to leave some for Risa if the drug reacted to Sesshoumaru's standards.

Golden eyes stared for a good, long moment at his test subject, masking his anticipation like a professional poker player hiding his excitement when he comes across a great hand. The girl, Rin, kept her brown eyes open wide and shooting looks around the prison cell wondering what exactly was going to happen to her. Was she to explode, be in debilitating pain? Was her memory to be lost to the girl? She was almost too afraid to find out.

Sesshoumaru, however, couldn't be any more intrigued, though the fascination was quickly fading as he realized that the drug was taking no real effect on Rin. Disappointed, the dog went to pack his things when his imp follower, Jaken hobbled in taking a piece of paper from his shirt. The smaller youkai handed his superior the document before bowing deeply to the point where he was near face-planting the ground.

"My Lord, here is the list of participants for your next auction. There is also a list of neighboring similar events in our area."

The demon lord simply nodded his head curtly, still disappointed by the outcome of his test. Humming softly in a questioning tone, he flashed Jaken a harsh glare.

"Naraku is not on this list. Why?" He asked, irritation present in his voice.

Jaken jumped back a few steps, quivering slightly under his master's angry gaze. Waving his arms frantically, the imp lost all composure as he tried to explain to Sesshoumaru about the reason for the missing name

"I-I have no idea My Lord! H-honest!"

Just as Sesshoumaru was about to press for more questions, he heard a strange rumbling sound come from behind him. It sounded like growling even. Turning around, the demon made no attempt to stop Jaken as he excused himself from the demon lord's presence. He could hear Jaken shouting to fix the situation, but the dog tuned him out. The woman Rin was thrashing about; barking, growling and snarling before groaning out in pain.

"What's happening to me!?" She shouted.

Sesshoumaru was in such delight that he nearly fell to his knees upon observing the success of his greatest experiment yet. His marveling was cut short when Rin began going through changes. Rin snapped her head up to shoot the dog demon a terrifying glare. Her former brown eyes were no longer brown, but red. Her hair remained black, but her finger nails grew into sharp talons and her tiny, dull canines became sharp and ready to tear through flesh. Sesshoumaru licked his lips as he gazed upon the demonized Rin. But how was he supposed to control her aggressive behavior? He would need to examine a few sedatives before mixing anything again, but for now, he could revel in step one of his new product being a complete success. He just couldn't wait to test this on Risa.

…_The very same night…_

A knock on the door of the Kuro household was heard. Miki being closest to the foyer area skipped over to the front of the house and opened the door with a smile. However, her happy expression changed to one of concern when she saw that a woman and a man of the Hartman police were the ones standing on the porch. Turning around towards the stairs, Miki called for her sister.

"Risa, the police are here! What did you do?!" She shouted.

The woman chuckled for a moment before waving the younger Kuro's notion off while shaking her head in the negative. Extending her hand out for Miki to shake, the policewoman began to introduce herself.

"No, no. This isn't about your sister, or anyone in your family for that matter." She passed Miki a piece of paper cradled in her arms, "I'm Sango with the Hartman City Police Department, and this is my new intern - and younger brother - Kohaku. We're going door to door raising awareness of the increase in disappearances in the area." Sango then pointed to the picture on the flyer, "This is our latest missing person case. Her name is Rin Kyosuke; if you see her in the area, please make no hesitation to inform us."

Risa finally made it down the stairs as Sango and Kohaku were bidding Miki their farewells. Coming up behind her younger sister, Risa spotted the piece of paper in Miki's hands and went to take it from her observing the picture.

"Wow, she's pretty…" Risa said. "I sure hope they find her."

"Risa!" Miki suddenly shouted as she began to shake her older sister. Risa looked down at Miki with a frustrated expression, but her eyes followed Miki's pointed finger in the direction a familiar car was coming from. Risa gasped as she recognized it as Sesshoumaru's car. An excited Miki ran gung-ho towards the vehicle before Risa was able to stop her. With a groan, the older sister followed behind, her eyes never leaving his sharp gaze.

"So Mr. Hiro..." Miki started, "What's with the car? You live right next door. Here to take my sis' out on another date?"

Sesshoumaru remained silent for a moment, noticing the flyer in Risa's hands. Looking back to Miki, he patted the girl on her head - earning a small grumble from her - and walked towards Risa.

"You are most correct young one." Sesshoumaru answered Miki, though his eyes continued to focus on Risa.

Risa held on to her arms hoping to disappear from his gaze.

"You look beautiful my mate."

"It's not Saturday." Risa responded quickly, distrust laced in her tone. "Miki, could you excuse us for a minute?"

Miki gave a small smirk as she began to walk towards the house, "You guys gonna make out on the driveway?"

"Miki leave please!" Risa snapped.

Miki's eyes widened before she slinked back into the confines of their home, a scowl now on her features as she mumbled under her breath.

Risa, turning back to Sesshoumaru, took a small step back though she was suddenly pulled into his chest. She felt him slip the piece of paper out of her hands, and watched him analyze the flyer with a bit of curiosity. His grip tightened on it as his eyes slightly widened, catching Risa's attention.

"What's wrong Sesshoumaru?" She said curiously, her suspicion of him spiking from the way he reacted to the picture of Rin.

"Nothing." He responded. He then smirked and let his claws find a way underneath her shirt to scratch at her back. "Now about our date…"

"It's on Saturday!" Risa insisted as she frantically shook her head and moved her hand to push away from him, but Sesshoumaru's free hand caught it like a shackle around a wrist.

"I changed my mind… I would much rather go tonight." He leaned in to kiss on her cheek. "Please?" He whispered.

"I-I… already have plans!" Risa said, still struggling to be released from his iron grip.

"With who?" Sesshoumaru nearly growled out, though he almost had a feeling of who it could have been.

"Koga, he's coming over to help me study, and then we're going to hang out with other friends." Risa said quietly.

Letting the young woman go, green eyes met with jealous glazed amber orbs before Sesshoumaru turned to walk back to the car.

"Fine then, but Saturday you're all mine." He said. Just as he pulled his car out of the driveway, Koga came pulling in. Sesshoumaru flashed a death glare at the wolf before moving his car to park in his driveway.

Koga and Risa walked inside the house, but not before Sesshoumaru could overhear Koga asking, "What was that asshole doin' here?"

The silver-haired dog, growled in utter frustration. How dare that beautiful wench still cling onto that lesser being when she had _him _living right next door! And _he _wanted her!

Sesshoumaru sighed to release the anger that was boiling inside of him. Jealousy was unbecoming of him. But it mattered no more, because come Saturday, that little green-eyed minx would be his.

Sesshoumaru finally exited his car and went inside his house, but little did he know, another pair of eyes was watching...

* * *

_**Everything is updatedddd!  
How are you guys?  
I finally managed to post this!**_

_**Anyhoo, I'm finally out of this writer's rut and now I think I can pump out a few more chapters Whooot! (hopefully :/)  
Just stay with me my loyal readers and thank you for reading my new chapter and putting up with flaky author style!  
Keep on the lookout for next installment! :D**_


	9. Mistaken Identity

Chapter 9: Mistaken Identity

* * *

Sango Hanamoro entered her parked black car, inside was her waiting younger brother, Kohaku who had just put away his phone. Kohaku flicked his gaze to his now exhausted sister. She seemed frustrated and at the same time sad. Concerned, the younger Hanamoro placed a hand on her shoulder then flashed Sango an encouraging smile.

"We'll find her sis', don't worry."  
Sango shook her head solemnly before turning to Kohaku. "I just hope you're right. Every day I wake up, throw my clothes on, and hope and pray that I'll live to see the day that crime is erased from the world." Sango knew such a wish was Ludacris, but she still had to hold onto her optimism somehow.

Kohaku nodded his head, and then looked out the window once again, before Sango turned on the car and drove away from the neighborhood.

…

Thursday morning arrived and Koga was feeling bittersweet. In his hand was a tiny box wrapped impeccably donning an emerald green bow – the color of Risa's eyes – at the top. He was excited to give the gift to Risa however he would be a little early. Saturday would mark Risa's twentieth birthday, but since Sesshoumaru had laid claim to that day, Koga would have to ask for her time on Sunday in order to have a meaningful celebration. It burned the romantic wolf to the core knowing that that slime-ball in the elegant disguise was going to be with his Risa all night. He'd probably use his charm and wit – or whatever clichéd romantic crap girls loved – to win over the Honey-haired maiden. With the present in tow, Koga left for Risa's house in hopes that she wasn't completely swayed into Sesshoumaru's arms.

Turning onto Risa's street, the wolf could see his object of affection's dwelling sitting just ahead with his competition's home looming over the quaint two-story home. It was as if Sesshoumaru's house was preying upon Risa's.

'_Heh, perfect symbolism…'_ Koga thought to himself, cringing after visualizing the scene.

As Koga came closer to the two homes, Koga noticed the sly dog emerge from his house and look left and right, before entering his car. Keeping a suspicious eye on Sesshoumaru, the wolf then pulled into Risa's driveway. Koga looked through his passenger's window to shoot a hateful glare at the other man who was now smirking as he pulled away from his home.

"Little prick." Koga whispered to himself as he reached for his car door. "What makes him so damn special?"

As Koga pondered this, an uneasy feeling struck him. His intuition was on high alert. There was something not right about Risa's so-called date.

With that, Koga backed out of Risa's driveway, taking one last look back as he followed after Sesshoumaru's car. Keeping up with the dog's car, dodging extra traffic, and navigating through a few unfamiliar streets, Koga was surprised that he was able to tail Sesshoumaru for as long as he had. Seeing that the car he was following was turning onto an empty street, Koga decided to park his car just before reaching the intersection. He kept his back to the brick wall as he peeked around the corner to observe Sesshoumaru slip into yet another alleyway. Suspicions were spiked. What could he be doing in this part of town? It wasn't often that handsome yuppies like him would step foot onto the rough streets of downtown Hartman.

Koga, who was quite the distance away from Sesshoumaru, jogged toward the direction of the alley, but peered inside to see what the dog demon was up to. To the wolf's surprise, Sesshoumaru was nowhere in sight, but a large bouncer with his arms folded across his chest stood at attention in front of the door. Above the guard, was a large neon sign reading _Skins_, and Koga could only raise an eyebrow in question of the sight. Was this a strip bar? Could it be possible that even a composed man like Sesshoumaru could succumb to scantily clad women begging for attention? It almost angered the wolf to see that his love rival would visit such a place all while selfishly keeping the beautiful Risa to himself. Ready to confront the dog, Koga was able to go through the entrance, but upon entering _Skinz, _Koga saw Sesshoumaru pass through a set of double doors with a V.I.P. sign hanging on the wall above them. Knowing that he wouldn't be able to get past the two bouncers guarding the doors, Koga went to investigate by interviewing the coworkers.

…

It just another busy day at _Skins_ and Kagura had been hard at work – harder than she normally worked – serving the patrons glasses upon glasses of alcohol and cleaning up after them. Though it may have seemed like Kagura had turned a new leaf by demonstrating this type of work ethic, truthfully, Kagura just wanted to get through the day so she speak with Rin. This time around, the demoness hoped that the human would have better news to report in regards to Sesshoumaru's progress with the drug.

Walking out of the bar area, a drink platter in hand, Kagura scanned the dimly lit room for the customers when she noticed a young man with black tresses that were pulled back into a ponytail. Though she didn't make it her job to learn the names and faces of every low-life that dragged themselves through the front door, Kagura was thoroughly surprised to see someone unfamiliar walk to the bar. Watching him closely, she saw that the man was constantly pulling the other waitresses aside to ask them questions. Curious, Kagura set down her drink platter – uncaring of the rowdy customers who pounced on it – and stepped toward the strange man. With closer observation, she could see that he was of demon blood but Kagura couldn't tell what type of demon he was.

"May I help you?" She asked him.

The man flicked his gaze to the woman calling for his attention. "Yea. I have some questions about Sesshoumaru. Apparently he's the owner of this place?"

"Yes. Yes he is, what business do you have with him?"

"I just want to know if you have any information about him. What's he like? Have you seen anything suspicious?"

Kagura then gave him a sideways glance. Why was he asking such things? Could he be a cop undercover? The wind demoness had to act fast before any other law enforcement came to make arrests. Placing a right hand on her right hip and leaning against the nearby counter top, Kagura cocked an eyebrow and scoffed.

"Suspicious? What would you consider suspicious? If you haven't noticed, cutie, this is a bar. I've seen plenty of shady characters pass through here." She said. "But, if you _must_ know, the boss has been good to me and the rest of his staff. Good pay and benefits is all I get, unless being a good boss is now illegal?"

Koga sighed before looking down at his feet sheepishly. He couldn't believe he had been jealous enough to follow Sesshoumaru to a downtown club – which he owns – only to find that the dog has done nothing wrong, but he's also considered a great boss among his employees. With a sigh, he thanked the woman before him and turned to leave the club intending on visiting Risa to give her his gift.

…

It was now night time; Koga didn't realize he was in the club for so long. He would need to hurry before it got too late. But as he began his trek down the alley, he sensed the presence of someone following him. Picking up his walking pace, he quickly turned the corner and pressed himself against the wall, noticing that the presence was moving faster towards him. Suddenly a figure dashed from the alley, and Koga quickly went to detain whoever it was that was following him. However, a huge gust of wind blew between them, forcing Koga to backflip away from his pursuer.

When the wind died down, the figure that emerged from the gust was none other than Kagura, still dressed in her work uniform and in her hand was her fan, opened and ready for use.

"Alright cop, I think it's about time you came with me…" She said; her smirk hidden behind her fan.

* * *

_**Hey hey! Just wanted to drop in my regular author's note! The next chapter is going to be dedicated to a fight scene (so this is why this chapter is rather slow :p) But I still hope you liked it and keep on the lookout for my next installment!  
~Happy Reading/Writing!**_


	10. Koga vs Kagura

Next Door

Chapter 10: Koga vs Kagura

* * *

_When the wind died down, the figure that emerged from the gust was none other than Kagura, still dressed in her work uniform and in her hand was her fan, opened and ready for use._

_"Alright cop, I think it's about time you came with me…" She said; her smirk hidden behind her fan._

…

Koga scrunched his face as if he was unsure if he correctly heard the woman. Did she really just call him 'cop'? Scoffing, the wolf demon began to calm down as he tried to explain the misunderstanding.

"Listen Lady, I ain't no cop." He said to her. "I was just looking out for a friend by checking out her date, which just so happens to be your boss. I didn't trust him." Koga then wore a cautious expression, his suspicions of a shady Sesshoumaru confirmed. "But, by the way you're reacting to the possible threat of police bustin' in your place, I'd think I deserve a little pat on the back for a successful mission. Seems I was right not to trust him. So what goes on in that 'club'?"

Kagura was unable to contain her giggles as she listened to the wolf demand an explanation; and from _her_ of all people. "Pfft, young man I don't know who you think you are to demand answers from this girl." She then extended her right hand – which was holding her fan – to the side. "Admittedly, I was foolish enough to think you were a cop, but I plan on righting that mistake. Now if you come with me quietly, I promise I won't hurt you too badly…"

Koga smirked. "You think you can take me on? Well first you gotta catch me!"

In a flash, Koga was gone from the scene giving Kagura no time to neither respond nor react in time to stop him from running.

The demoness wore a foul look on her face as she plucked a feather from her hair. She threw it up in the air, and in seconds, Kagura went from standing on the ground to airborne; her mode of transportation was a giant feather. With this bird's eye view advantage, Kagura would be able to spot her target easier. However, the increasing amount of wind that Koga was creating as he gained speed caught the wind demoness's attention. With a fast _whoosh_, Kagura maneuvered her feather to follow the mini cyclone through the empty alleyways of downtown Hartman.

Koga looked back to see that the strange woman was keeping a steady chase using her flying feather. He had to admit, the demoness was fast, but _he _was faster. Kicking it up to a higher speed, Koga did a small skip before picking up the pace in his feet, effectively gaining distance between Kagura and himself.

"Not bad, boy!" Kagura shouted from behind, "However, I'm Kagura, the wind sorceress; and no one gets away from me! Dance of Blades!"

Suddenly, wind gusts of Kagura's creation dashed toward the running Koga taking the shape of crescent moons; cutting through any and everything that they touched. Koga turned back briefly to see the sorceress's attack head toward him at full speed.

With quick thinking, and luck, Koga dove out of the alley, landing face-first on the pavement; the crescent blades flying past him overhead.

Growling, Kagura tried her attack once more, swinging her fan in a downward motion; sending more blades in his direction. Koga rolled over dodging three overlapping blades aimed for his neck. While on his back, the wolf saw more blades headed toward him and he rolled over backward, barely missing one of the blades.

Just as he was about to run, Kagura widened her fan and sent out one more Dance of Blades. Koga jumped to his left, landing on his feet, and then lunged at the demoness atop her feather in an attempt to execute a flying kick.

Before Kagura could take flight, Koga was already in front of her, and she – ironically – felt the wind be knocked right out of her as her opponent's foot connected with her stomach. She fell to the ground with a _thud_; the impact of hitting the ground sending her slightly in the air before rolling back down the alley. Her feather disappeared in a puff of smoke and Koga emerged from that same smoke cloud, attempting another flying kick.

Fortunately for Kagura, her fan was still in her hand, and she opened it just in time to swing at Koga. A powerful gust of wind sent the wolf hurtling backward, giving Kagura enough time to rise to her feet.

Koga landed on a nearby car with enough force to make him cry out in pain. He didn't realize how much power this woman had. The wolf didn't know how long he could keep this up, but he knew it wouldn't be much. He had to get away… He had to warn Risa…

But Kagura would not give him such satisfaction. Huffing, she lifted up her fan; a swirling wind coming in from all sides surrounded her, and when the sorceress snatched down her weapon, the swirling wind separated into numerous cyclones and rushed toward him.

"Have a taste of my Dance of the Dragon…" Kagura said cheekily, a smirk now present on her face.

Koga managed to throw himself from the car, but that didn't stop one of the cyclones from sucking him in. The wolf demon screamed as he swirled around faster and faster; being taken higher into the air and tossed from one tiny tornado to another. Kagura then snapped her fan shut; the tornados dissipating and Koga went tumbling down to earth. He landed with a crash.

Chuckling as she slowly and cautiously walked toward the fallen Koga, the demoness stood over him and peered closely, looking to find any sign of life. To his fortune, Koga was still alive, but was knocked out cold. Kagura then pulled out her phone and sent Sesshoumaru a message saying that she detained an intruder and was bringing him back to Sesshoumaru.

Plucking another feather from her black hair, Kagura grabbed onto the collar of Koga's shirt, tossed her feather in the air, and was back flying above the streets of Hartman headed toward _Skinz_.

…

Koga woke up with a terrible headache. He slowly came to sit up; his back was sore and his vision was disoriented. However as his senses came to one by one, the wolf remembered his fight with the wind sorceress. Jumping to his feet, Koga held up his hands ready to strike, but quickly found that he wasn't on the streets anymore. In fact, he was in what looked to be a prison cell; a medieval styled cell at that. A metal collar was also wrapped around his neck and he noticed that he now fashioned cuffs on each wrist. Confused and concerned, Koga took a moment to observe his new surroundings.

Stone walls were everywhere, the only source of light was coming from the dying torches, and the cell hall seemed to go on for miles. It was so dark were Koga was, the wolf barely see the door at the end of the tunnel. Across from him, catching his attention was a woman in another cell hanging from the wall by her hands but her feet were free. Koga squint his eyes to get a better look at the girl. She seemed familiar; black hair, brown eyes, a round, sun kissed face. He actually remembered being handed a photo of her, but from a policewoman.

"H-hey… Aren't you Rin Kyosuke?" He called from his cell.

The girl, Rin looked up and blinked a few times before nodding her head furiously. "Yea! Yea that's me! Oh my goodness you have to help me! Are you working with the police?"

Koga made a face. "Man what is it with people mistakin' me for some cop? No, I'm not with the police, and second; what the hell do you expect me to do from in here?"

Rin sighed. "I'm sorry… I just really want to get out of here. This guy is crazy! He's put something in my blood; I've been going through some changes. I'm pretty sure he's turned me into a demon, and right now my only chance of escape is relying on his lackey Kagura."

Koga's brows shot up in surprise. Was that the name of that woman who attacked him? If so, why would she be helping a prisoner of Sesshoumaru try to escape? Koga opened his mouth to ask his pressing questions, but the door at the end of the hall loudly creaked open.

Sesshoumaru, followed by Kagura, walked down the hall ending in front of Koga's cell. A wide smile suddenly appeared on the dog's face as the demon lord wrapped his slender fingers around a cell bar.

"Well, well, well…" Sesshoumaru began; his index finger tapping the bar to a slow beat. "What do we have here? Koga, I didn't know you frequented these types of clubs… What would Risa think?"

"You should talk! You own the damn club!" Koga snapped.

Sesshoumaru still kept his mocking facial expression before backing away from the cell door. Folding his arms over his chest, the dog demon chuckled. "Yes… I do own it. However, I'm not the one with good boy image am I?" Sesshoumaru then began to pace. "Let's face it Koga, I won. Risa will be with me Saturday and with this," He up a vial of Angel's Blood and shook in Koga's face. "Risa will be mine…" He then went to whisper. "Forever…"

"YOU SON OF A BITCH! WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO TO RISA!? LEAVE HER ALONE! I'LL KILL YOU!"

Sesshoumaru ignored Koga's cries as he walked down the hall. He turned to Kagura and handed her a hundred dollar bill. "Good work Kagura." He said to her as the two left Koga to shout for freedom in his cell.

…

With the wolf detained and out of the way, Sesshoumaru could now focus on adding the finishing touches on his new concoction and come Saturday, he would have the lovely Risa all to himself so he can create the perfect woman - or at least the perfect woman for _him._

* * *

**_Well here's the fight scene! I hope you all were pleased with this chapter, but don't worry there will be more to come! I haven't even gotten to the main climax yet! Almost there though! Keep on the lookout for the next installment and thanks for reading! :D_**

**_~Happy Reading/Writing!_**


	11. TFN (This Friday Night) Pt 1

Next Door  
Chapter 11: TFN (This Friday Night) Pt 1

**_Whoo! Chapter 11! Enjoy~_**

* * *

_*BANG BANG BANG!*_

"W-Wh-"  
_*BANG BANG BANG!*_

"Wake up wolf."

Koga groaned as he awoke. He lifted his sore body to come to a sitting position as his eyes blinked away the remnants of his sleep. Cracking his back, the wolf sighed with relief; sleeping on the cold hard ground for hours at a time would kill anyone's spine. As he came to a stand, the weight of his iron shackles made him realize that this wasn't having a horrible nightmare. His mind was most definitely not playing tricks on him. He was trapped here in the madman Sesshoumaru's prison and Risa was in terrible danger.

Behind the barred doors of his cell, the wolf glowered at the now stoic man before him. Sesshoumaru paid no mind. What threat was he anyway? Even if he could break free from his binds, this wolf would be unable to hold a candle to the taiyoukai's skills. Finishing his musings, Sesshoumaru shoved a brown paper bag through the bars of Koga's cage. It fell to the floor with a light plop indicating that something solid was within.

"Eat up." Sesshoumaru said simply before turning to open up Rin's cage, ready to finish his drug.

Koga was about to comment about Risa, but his rival beat him to it.

"Yes, it is quite a shame. You; stuck in here while I get to spend lots of quality time with Risa." He then smiled to himself. "And on her birthday for that matter. But don't fret, wolf."

By this time, Rin had been alerted of Sesshoumaru's presence and began panicking, her cries muffled by the cloth around her mouth. Ignoring the young woman, he continued to speak with Koga from across the hall as he nonchalantly fished through his desk for his tools.

"Yes, do not fret… Risa will be much happier with me. With my club – and my underground business – a success, I can provide for her. I can fulfill her desires and take care of her needs… And best of all, I'll have her for over a thousand lifetimes…" The silver-haired man then pulled out a small flask containing a red substance. He swirled it around until a fizz began to form. Taking the vial full of Angel's Blood he opened the slender container and poured the foaming liquid inside the vial. The mixed contents were now changing from a red to gold, the color of Sesshoumaru's eyes.

Satisfied, the dog kissed the vial and pulled out an empty glass tube. He poured half of the new substance into the empty vial and put it in his desk, with intentions to sell it if the concoction worked, and closed the drawer before pocketing the other vial full of his new creation. However, Sesshoumaru's content smirk would only last for a mere moment seeing that the detained woman was still trying to scream for help. Turning to glare, Sesshoumaru hurled a fist at the wall next to her head nearly missing Rin's face; the fear silencing her.

"Cease your irritating shouting!" He snarled.

He regained composure and backed away from the hanging Rin, pieces of rubble falling from the dog's knuckles as he pulled his balled fist from the hole in the way. Sesshoumaru looked over his shoulder at Koga who at this point was fuming as he struggled to free himself once more. With a smirk, Sesshoumaru left Rin's cage and closed the door, peering in at the desperate Koga.

"Give it up. Your struggles are all in vain. However, if you're good enough, I'll even send you an invitation to our wedding."

Koga watched on as amber eyes tore away from furious black ones. Silver hair flowed behind him as the dog walked leisurely down the tunnel hallway.

"_Risa…"_ Koga woefully thought.

…

Outside in the front of the bar, Kagura spotted her boss emerge from the double doors of the posh VIP lounge. She could tell that he was looking for because upon sight of the wind sorceress, he quickly walked over to her side of the bar area. He pulled out an extra set of keys to give to Kagura before leaning in real close to whisper in her ear. Kagura almost blushed, but she had to remember her mission; find out about the drug, take it and report back to Naraku.

"Lock up the club tonight. Do not forget to feed my prisoners, and tomorrow I will be opening the club. I have a date that evening." Sesshoumaru said, finishing his statement with a smirk. Kagura raised an eyebrow, but didn't push for questions. She had assumed it would have been with the plain looking human he had brought into the club a few weeks ago. Why on Earth such a man like him would want _her_ was beyond Kagura's comprehension, but the demoness wasn't one to fuss over matters of the heart anyway.

…

Lounging on her bed in her now unpacked room, Risa was busy roaming around the wonderland of imagination as she read one of her favorite books. She had been at it for quite some time when she finally put the book down to check her clock hanging from the wall above her door. It was almost six o'clock in the evening.

'_I suppose I could eat something. I've been locked up in my room all day.'_ Risa thought to herself as she hopped down from her queen sized bed. Exiting her bedroom, she could overhear Miki in her room shouting at the television. Every once in a while cheers could be heard; must be a Friday night basketball game. Down the hall, her parents were busy talking amongst one another; too deeply involved in conversation to realize that dinner has yet to be prepared.

Risa made her way down the stairs and walked to the kitchen. As she began making dinner for the family, she felt a bit worried. It had been a while – if one would call a few days, a while – since Koga had shown his face around the neighborhood. Even at school there was no sign of Koga. Was he sick? Risa then shook her head in denial. Koga rarely if ever came down with any type of sickness. He was a demon after all.

But she supposed it was _impossible_.

Thinking more on the matter, Risa remembered Koga's face upon finding out about her plans for Saturday night. Was he planning something for her birthday? Risa suddenly felt a little guilty. Maybe Koga had huge party to celebrate her twentieth birthday, and her date with Sesshoumaru ruined it. Not only that, but Koga doesn't really care for the silver mane. Feeling worried that her friend was upset with her; Risa went to pick up the phone. She clicked through the different names and dialed a number. Maybe she could set things right by starting with a rescheduling of the date. The phone's dial tone rang for a good long minute before Sesshoumaru picked up, his voice sounding somewhat surprised.

"Risa? This is rather unexpected. Normally I call you."

"Um yea, hi S-Sesshoumaru… Listen, I've been thinking, and I… I… I want to reschedule our date. How does Sunday so-"

"No."

"W-what do you mean _'No'_?" Risa sputtered.

"Exactly what it means. I said 'no.' Our date is tomorrow night."

Risa was becoming desperate. Somehow she just knew the demon wasn't going to budge on the matter, but she really wanted to hang out with Koga for tomorrow night.

Suddenly, "Unless you want to come over tonight?" The taiyoukai asked.

"T-Tonight!?"

"Oh…" Sesshoumaru began once more, "That's right, you don't trust me enough to be within the confines of my home alone…"

"Sesshoumaru don't be this way, you and I both know that I have perfectly logical reasons for not wanting to out-right trust you."

Risa heard him scoff, but she let out a sigh and ran a few fingers through her brown hair to relieve the stress she was feeling. She sulked over in defeat and gave her answer. "Fine. I'll be at your place within the hour. I'm preparing dinner for the family."

"Excellent."

Risa looked at her phone as she hung up with her neighbor. She closed her eyes to regain composure before continuing with her cooking.

'_I swear… The things I do for my friends… I'll have to let Koga know I'm free for tomorrow.'_ The girl thought as she seasoned her meal.

…

Koga and Rin were caught up in a stare-off; each trying to guess what the other was thinking when the sound of an opening door caught their attention. Heels clacking against the stony ground, Kagura made herself known as she greeted both Rin and the wolf. Kagura made sure to plan a visit before leaving for her apartment in hopes that _this _time the demoness could walk out of this infernal club with something useful.

Koga refused to answer her greeting seeing how she was the reason he was in this mess in the first place. Rin, however, gave a quiet 'hello' as Kagura removed her mouth-cloth before reporting to the wind sorceress.

"This Sesshoumaru guy, he's made something. Said it was for this girl named Risa, and how he would have her for a thousand lifetimes, I don't know. It was just plain unsettling." Rin told Kagura prompting the demoness to give a curious look.

"Anyway, he left some of the mixture in that drawer over there." Rin used her head to point in the direction of the drawer.

Kagura couldn't contain her smile of joy. Finally, that man has come up with something that could be worth her while. All those years of spying, watching, waiting… It will finally pay off. Kagura opened her fan, reached inside the drawer to pull out the vial full of the golden colored liquid, and closed the desk. In a flash, Kagura decided to leave a 'goodbye' present to her former boss, and with a flick of her wrist Kagura shredded the wooden desk to pieces with her Dance of Blades.

"That's for all those early morning hours…" She whispered to herself.

Koga, dumbfounded watched the display from across the hall. "He-hey! I thought you were working for that prick! Why are you stealing from him? And what's so special about that stuff in the tube?!"

Kagura turned to look at Koga her eyebrows raised one over the other. "Why you ask? It's simple. Because I'm actually working for someone else. Who? I won't tell you, but I will take the time to thank my little puppet for making my mission a success."

Rin scrunched her brows together, having a feeling that this wouldn't work out in her favor. "But you will free me… right?"

Kagura burst into laughter, her right hand holding her stomach as she made a leisurely turn to stroll out of the cell. "Haha… right. Listen dear Rinny, I don't have time to play the hero. Besides, you might get in the way of a grander plan. Stay out of trouble, K?"

As Kagura turned the corner to walk down the tunnel she could hear Rin screaming behind her. The demoness paid no mind, there was no way that she or the demon could make it out the cell with bindings Sesshoumaru strapped them to. She managed to make it outside, looking around to check for followers before pulling out her phone to make a call.

"Hello?... Yes, tell Naraku that I have some good news to report. … Oh yes, he'll _love_ the present I'm about to bring him…. Oh and Kohaku, I'll need back up – just in case. Meet me by the local coffee shop, and we'll begin our trek to Naraku's hideout."

She hung up the phone, placing it snugly in her bosom as she made her way toward the coffee shop to wait for her escort. However, that feeling of being followed crept up her spine. Could she have been paranoid? No, it was all in her mind. She was Kagura the all-powerful, nothing can and will intimidate her. As she went to turn out of the alleyway, she overheard an outraged cry from behind.

"YOU TRAITOROUS HAPRY!" Cried Jaken from the shadows.

Kagura turned around just in time to dodge the column of flames shooting right towards her. Kagura shot up to her feet, and with a bit of difficulty, ran in her heels away from the angry imp chasing after her. She would turn around every so often to blow away Jaken's flames with her wind, but she had to hand it to the imp, he seemed a lot faster when angered.

"YOU WON'T GET AWAY WITH BETRAYING LORD SESSHOUMARU!" Jaken shouted as he began trailing behind after tripping over his own feet.

Kagura looked over her shoulder, plucked a feather from her hair and in a puff of smoke rode away from the scene. A smirk was now placed on her face.

"It seems like I just did." Kagura whispered. She went to pick up her phone to tell Kohaku to skip the coffee shop and go straight to Naraku's hideout but…

"My phone!" Kagura shouted.

…

Jaken attempted to throw a rock at the flying wench but realized it would be in vain. He had to get to Sesshoumaru to inform him of the news. But before he could scurry away, the imp caught something out the corner of his eye. It looked to be a phone – Kagura's phone to be exact. Jaken walked over to pick it up and searched through it to find Sesshoumaru's name.

'_I have to tell Milord!'_ He thought as he frantically pushed the 'Call' button.

* * *

_**Here's Chapter 11! If you notice, this is part one. That's because a lot stuff is about to 'get real' lol xD anyway, I hope you liked this chapter and keep on the lookout for Chapter 12!  
~Happy Reading/Writing! :D**_


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